NFL Player Wins Appeal for 'Man of God' Headband Fine, So He Gives Money to Charity
New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis won an appeal over a $7,000 fine
© press
New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis has won his appeal against a fine from the NFL, for wearing a "Man of God" headband during games, after news of his punishment went viral.
Davis was met with an outpouring of support from people all around the world after he was fined $7000 by the National Football League for wearing the band featuring a religious message during a September 22 game against the Seahawks in Seattle.
Davis made headlines after receiving the fine and then defiantly asking his fans if he should continue wearing the headband, despite the threat of more fines that would likely run into the thousands of dollars.
After hearing that the NFL had dropped the fine, Davis said he would instead give the fine money to a hospital in his home state of Mississippi.
© press
According to Fox News, Davis said he wore the headband the first three games, and he thought he might have been fined after the third game after he was in the spotlight for leading the Saints pregame chant in the absence of quarterback Drew Brees.
Before Davis’ appeal was approved, he wanted to turn the situation into a positive, so he decided to start selling the headbands with 100 percent of the “Man of God” and “Woman of God.”
The proceeds from the sales were donated to St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson, Miss.
The headbands, priced at $25 apiece, have raised more than $30,000 for the hospital, according to Davis.
#NewOrleansSaints captain #DemarioDavis was fined roughly $7,000 by the NFL for wearing a headband with “#ManOfGod” written across it during a Week 3 matchup against the Seahawks.
— Neon Nettle (@NeonNettle) October 3, 2019
READ MORE: https://t.co/0b1MA5XtDp
"We've been able to turn it into a positive and use it to raise funds for a hospital that's trying to rebuild this emergency room,” Davis said, according to ESPN.
"And just to have the support of the community -- and pretty much nationwide -- it's been amazing"
“And then on top of that, being blessed to win the appeal and be able to take those funds that I was already counting as a loss and further contribute to the cause, it's just a major blessing. And I don't take it for granted."
© press
Davis said he didn’t know why the NFL rescinded his fine.
“I didn't get the specific reason why it was overturned,” he said.
"I mean, when you get something like that overturned and you get $7,000 coming back to you, you ain't asking too many questions."
The NFL fines players for wearing “personal messages” on their uniforms, except during the “My Cause, My Cleats” program, in which players can promote causes important to them with decorated cleats during Game Weeks 13-15.
In his appeal, Davis said his agents had argued that the headband's wording was "not being something that was offensive.”
"No matter the case, whether I'm wearing a headband, or whether I'm not wearing a headband, whether I'm talking about a headband, I'm not talking about a headband, I'm always using my platform to glorify God," Davis said.
"And that's never going to change.
"Because I believe he's the one who gave me this platform for that purpose to make his name known.
"So I'll always be about that."
