AP

The NFL has strict rules about the colors a player’s shoes can be, and players who violate those rules are subject to fines. Bears tight end Martellus Bennett says the NFL’s uniform police are a danger to his health.

According to Bennett, the NFL is fining him for refusing to wear white shoes. But he says his Jordan brand shoes are a necessity because they’re the only shoes that have helped with his history of foot injuries, and the shoes he wears only come in black.

“They get mad because my cleats are too black but they’re perfect for my feet,” he said. “I feel like they’re supposed to protect the players. I have a certain shoe that feels the best for my foot. I’ve had foot problems over the last two years. They fine me because they’re too black and they don’t make them in white.”

Bennett says he’s “pissed off at the NFL,” and that he needs to save his money for more important things than paying fines.

“I’ve got a kid at home,” he said. “She’s smart, too, so I’m gonna have to pay for Harvard or something.”

Maybe some day she can design football shoes that both protect players with foot problems and conform with the NFL’s desired color scheme. But until that time, the league should chill out about shoe color and let Bennett wear the pair that’s best for his own feet.