In each of the final two preseason games of 2016, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady played in a helmet that did not have the NFL shield in the left rear portion of the helmet. He didn’t play at all in the first two preseason games.

He missed the second preseason game after slicing his thumb with scissors. And, frankly, it’s a lot more plausible to use scissors to remove a decal from a helmet than it is to remove something stuck in a cleat.