Dale Earnhardt Jr. Won't Have to Drive Eagles-Themed Car Due to NFL Rules

NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., a Washington Redskins fan, won't be forced to drive a car with a Philadelphia Eagles paint scheme because it would break an NFL rule.

On Friday, Bob Pockrass of ESPN.com reported the plan for Junior to drive an Eagles-themed car at Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania on June 11 was scrapped. The decision was made based on an NFL rule that states its logos can't be used for the "promotion or presentation" of other sports.

The ruling will be music to Earnhardt's ears. He spoke with Rick Hendrick, the owner of Hendrick Motorsports and the No. 88 team, about the idea from sponsor Axalta and was told he'd be forced to drive the car if that was the color scheme they chose, per ESPN.com.

"I'm really sad about that," he said. "Being a Redskins fan, it was very hard to wrap my brain around it."

Eagles public relations coordinator Anthony Bonagura provided pictures of the planned look back in April:

Pockrass noted the Eagles released a statement about the situation after speaking with the NFL.

"Having been reminded of the NFL's policy, we understand and respect their point of view," the team said. "While we are disappointed that we will not have the opportunity to increase the visibility of the Axalta All-Pro Teachers program through the Pocono 400 this year, we remain committed to supporting STEM curriculum and the educators who inspire our youth through our relationship with Axalta."

In 2012, Earnhardt explained to ESPN's Marty Smith his love for the Redskins dates back to 1983, when his mom bought him an entire Washington uniform for his ninth birthday.

"That was when I officially proclaimed my devotion solely to the Redskins," he said. "I had watched games before, particularly the 1983 Super Bowl, when John Riggins ran 'I-Right 70 Chip' on fourth-and-1. He went 43 yards for a touchdown to put the Skins ahead 20-17. They won 27-17. To say I was intrigued would be understating it a bit. But when momma got me the jersey, from that moment forward, I might as well have been lining up alongside Riggins himself."

Meanwhile, NASCAR's most popular driver has failed to build momentum during the 2017 season. The frustration is amplified by the fact he announced this will be his last year in the Cup Series before heading into retirement.

Earnhardt currently sits in 23rd place heading into Sunday's AAA 400 Drive for Autism at at Dover International Speedway in Delaware.