Carolina cornerback Josh Norman said Thursday he was fined $5,000 by the NFL for wearing custom-made cleats during the Panthers Salute to Service game against the Packers.

The red, white and blue cleats were against NFL regulations because they didn't match the Panthers' color scheme. But Norman's understanding is the league took more of an issue with what was emblazoned on the side: "PROUDBRAVE."

"We're appealing it," said Norman, who got back half his money on appeal after he was fined $11,000 for wearing predominantly silver cleats last November against the Vikings.

"This was five (thousand dollars), man, so it was better," Norman said. "That's pretty cool, though. I salute them."

The latest fine came as no surprise. After Sunday's win, Norman began his postgame comments with a message about the military.

"They gave up their lives so we can have freedom in this world and the United States of America; there is nothing greater than that. I just wanted to come out and pay homage to them, the proud and the brave," he said.

"I may get fined for [the cleats], but it is what it is. The price we pay for freedom, I’ll take that any day. Big ups to them and everything they do for our country, I can’t be proud enough to be an American citizen."

 

 

Norman signed the offending cleats Thursday afternoon before a member of the Panthers' community relations department picked them up. They'll soon be auctioned off online with proceeds going to benefit troops from Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C.

"Just giving back to them and give them some hope. Let them know that we care about them and we love them as well," Norman said. "That's what I can do."