Story highlights Tennessee Titans player Avery Williamson wanted to wear the cleats for 9/11

NFL rules prohibit special cleat designs, so Williamson is auctioning them instead

(CNN) The NFL will remember 9/11 with tributes this Sunday, but one player's patriotic gesture has earned a penalty flag from the league.

Tennessee Titans linebacker Avery Williamson earlier in the week said he would wear specially-designed patriotic cleats when he lines up against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

The special red, white and blue cleats include stars, an American flag-inspired Nike logo and the words "Never Forget" printed on the heel, according to photographs posted on Williamson's verified Twitter account.

But that would violate NFL rules, which stipulate each player's shoes must be either black or white, with team colors serving as allowable dominant or secondary colors on the shoes.

The NFL rule book says unapproved shoes are allowable only if "the player tapes over the entire shoe to conform to his team's selected dominant base color."

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