Caleb Williams is among roughly 40 NFL players wearing Caddix cleats, but the Chicago Bears quarterback has become the brand’s most talked-about user after receiving an $11,941 fine for displaying its logo. Rather than switch footwear after the penalty, Williams is doubling down on his choice, explaining that protecting his body matters more to him than avoiding another fine.

“I’m huge into my body. I’m huge into trying to stay on the field. I’m huge into trying to be healthy. It’s a rough game and things like that. So the cleats, they’ve been great. They’ve been super comfy,” Williams told reporters on Wednesday.

“They are a science type of cleat. It’s something that focuses on when you plant in the hard plants, on turf or grass… so they take tension off of your tendons and your joints and all of that. I’m focused on being able to be out here for the guys. And if that can give me a small percentage up and it works, then that’s what I’m gonna do.”

The NFL fined Williams for wearing Caddix cleats with the logo visible during Chicago’s Week 6 win over the Atlanta Falcons. The league’s footwear rules allow logos from official partners, including Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour. Players can wear other brands, but they must cover the unauthorized branding. Williams has appealed the fine and intends to keep wearing the cleats, even if the NFL penalizes him again.

Williams likes the way the cleats feel, especially when he plants his feet and changes direction. Caddix’s SmartStuds are designed to move under pressure and reduce twisting forces on the knees and ankles. The company says this could help prevent certain non-contact injuries, but Williams admitted he cannot say whether the cleats had anything to do with his hamstring recovery.

“They’re smart cleats. They’re science cleats, and they’ve been working for me,” Williams said. “A bunch of other guys wear them in the league, and they’re forward-focused on making sure players stay on the field, and that’s what I’m always focused on.”

Williams suffered a hamstring injury against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2 and missed three games before returning against Atlanta. He wore Caddix cleats in his comeback and again in Chicago’s Week 7 win over the New England Patriots. Although he was not fined for displaying the logo in the first two games because he wore the white version of the cleats, which made the logo less visible, the black cleats he wore against Atlanta made the branding more noticeable.

“I think my joints, my ankles and my knees and my feet haven’t bothered me as much from the other cleats that I’ve worn,” Williams said. “They’ve worked for me, and I feel that I feel a difference. That’s my opinion, and somebody else can have another.”

Caddix founder Jack Rasmussen has offered to pay Williams’ $11,941 fine and cover any future penalties for wearing the cleats. Williams has no endorsement deal with the company and reportedly paid for the footwear himself.

The Bears are 5-2 and will face the Seattle Seahawks on Monday night. Williams has no plans to switch cleats, saying he wants to do what he can to stay healthy and keep playing for his teammates. His appeal is still pending, but the possibility of another fine has not changed his mind.