The NFL fined Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger $5,000 for wearing an Apple Watch on the sidelines

If you happen to be part of the National Football League (NFL) in the United States and plan on wearing an Apple Watch on your team’s sideline, well, you may want to rethink that plan.

ESPN has the report (via 9to5Mac) on Monday that the NFL has fined Ben Roethlisberger, quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, a whopping $5,000 for wearing an Apple Watch on the sidelines due to “uniform violation”. Roethlisberger made his sideline debut in a recent game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Roethlisberger underwent elbow surgery recently, and this was his first game back with the team, where he was sidelined to watch the game, rather than play in it. And while the quarterback was wearing street clothes, apparently the inclusion of an Apple Watch was a bit too much for the NFL to handle.

As such, the organization has fined the quarterback $5,000 for wearing the Apple-branded smartwatch on the sidelines. Roethlisberger is appealing the decision, and is apparently “livid” that he is facing the fine over wearing the watch.

The NFL has a rule that prevents people from wearing electric devices that can “transmit messages”, so that’s why he was banned for wearing the smartwatch.

Roethlisberger wore the Apple Watch on the sideline during the Monday Night Football game. His issue is that he never received any advance warning that he could be in violation, only a fine letter for wearing the device — which he didn’t even realize he had on, according to sources.

It actually gets better, if not a bit funnier. You see, as mentioned above, Roethlisberger had elbow surgery recently which means he can’t use his right arm. As such, his wife, Ashley Harlan, had to help get him dressed before the game. And apparently it was Harlan that put the Apple Watch on his left wrist and called it good.

A fun story to get your Monday up-and-running, if nothing else.