DeAngelo Hall interview is cut short because of unauthorized logo
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DeAngelo Hall should know better than to wear an offensive shirt during postgame interviews with reporters.
And he probably does. But what the Washington Redskins cornerback didn’t realize after Sunday’s win over the Oakland Raiders was that the logo on his Lacoste shirt is considered offensive. At least by the NFL.
Hall was in an understandably good mood following the Skins’ first victory of the season and was giving reporters some great quotes in the locker room when an NFL wardrobe inspector -- yes, those guys really exist -- cut the interview short.
#Redskins DeAngelo Hall was banned from talking with us by an NFL uniform inspector, who said he couldn’t speak while wearing a Polo shirt. — michael phillips (@michaelpRTD) September 30, 2013
NFL rules state that only Nike logos may be visible during official interviews. Never seen that rule enforced in a locker room, though. — michael phillips (@michaelpRTD) September 30, 2013
D’Hall was in a great mood giving us great answers and then a NFL official walked over and told him to change his shirt. He wasnt happy. — Dianna Marie Russini (@DRussNBC) September 30, 2013
HIs shirt was plain black, with a small Lacoste sign. He pretty much flipped out. As did most of the lockeroom. — Dianna Marie Russini (@DRussNBC) September 30, 2013
According to the Washington Post, Hall had a verbal exchange with the inspector, who told him he could be fined if he continued the interview while wearing the shirt with the Lacoste logo.
“OK, I’m not doing it,” Hall said. “Hey, y’all write about this. Write about him shutting down my interview.”
The NFL rule book prohibits “wearing, displaying or orally promoting equipment, apparel or other items that carry commercial names or logos/identifications of companies, unless such commercial identification has been approved in advance by the League.”
Still, a league source told the Washington Post that the inspector violated the spirit of the rule by enforcing it in such a manner.
But who are we to judge? Maybe the inspector was afraid Hall would put his collar up and start acting like an evil preppy from a 1980s John Hughes movie. More likely, he didn’t quite understand the rule or just got a little carried away with his own power.
Chances are it won’t happen again. Surely Hall has learned his lesson and will wear something less offensive to league representatives -- like attire bearing a team name many Native Americans consider to be demeaning.
[For the Record, 12:09 p.m. EDT Oct. 2: A previous version of this post incorrectly said DeAngelo Hall’s Lacoste shirt had an alligator logo on it. Lacoste’s longtime logo depicts a crocodile, not an alligator.]
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