Jon Kitna is not selfish or showy. But he was wrong to violate National Football League rules by wearing unauthorized baseball-style cap, just as New Orleans Saints wide receiver Joe Horn was for planting a cell phone in the end zone, then calling his kids after a touchdown.

Kitna was fined $5,000 by the NFL for wearing a red cap with a cross sewn on it. NFL rules require players to wear league-affiliated apparel 90 minutes before and after a game. That's not too much to ask.

The Bengals quarterback brings a refreshing wholesomeness to the league and to his team. Way too often, millionaire players seem to grab bad press for selfish on-the-field decisions and bad choices off the field, detracting from the spirit of the game.

Sure, the league can be uptight about some of its rules. But we understand why this is one worth enforcing. The NFL is a multibillion-dollar operation with contractual obligations that have to be preserved. When a player wears anything other than approved apparel before and after the games, it violates the contract with the clothing manufacturers and could open the league to a lawsuit.

To his credit, Kitna, a born-again Christian, said he won't wear the cap again in violation of NFL rules: "I won't wear it anymore. The Bible says submit to the authorities placed above you," Kitna told the Bengals' Web site. "The authorities say that's the rule."

Kitna does plan to appeal the fine, though, because he thought the NFL rules applied to wearing a competitor's product, he said.

Meanwhile, true believers in Kitna have come to his aid. A businessman has offered to pay his fine, and black-and-orange versions of the caps like the one Kitna wears have been flying off the shelf at Kenwood Towne Centre's Catholic Shop, which is selling them at $5 each.

Kitna wears the cap as a demonstration of his faith, and that is commendable. As a public figure, his positive influence ought to spill off the field.

But wearing NFL-approved apparel is what's required during pre-game warm-ups or post-game interviews.

Meanwhile, the buyers of all those caps are a testament to Kitna's popularity, his beliefs and the Bengals' newfound success.

What do you think?

Should Bengals quarterback Jon Kitna have been fined for wearing a cap with a cross on it, before and after games, in violation of league rules? Let us know your opinion by sending e-mail to letters@enquirer.com.