Steelers WR Antonio Brown switched cleats after ref's warning

— -- PITTSBURGH -- The NFL was ready to sideline Antonio Brown for the second half of Sunday's 34-3 loss to Philadelphia if he didn't take off his baby-blue cleats emblazoned with the faces of his children, the Pittsburgh Steelers receiver confirmed on his weekly radio show on WDVE.

In Week 1, Brown's blue cleats with the No. 84 on the side earned him a fine for the NFL's uniform violation. Two weeks later, he displayed illustrations of his children on a new pair of cleats to celebrate "the four reasons I lace them up every day," as Brown tweeted before the game.

Brown apparently switched his shoes for the second half in Philadelphia, where Brown finished with 12 catches for 140 yards.

DKonPittsburghSports.com first reported Brown's shoe warning from the ref.

According to league rules, wearing "foreign substances on body/uniform" earns a $9,115 fine for a first offense and $18,231 for a second offense. Or the league could categorize the fines under "personal messages," which results in a $6,076 fine for first-time offenses and $12,154 for a second.

Brown told ESPN on Sept. 15 that his two fines for a twerking touchdown celebration and the blue cleats were "nothing to a boss."