How can National Football League(NFL) players stay safe even while colliding with each other at full force? Due to a new rule change NFL players are now allowed to wear guardian caps. Before the rule change, guardian caps were worn strictly during practice because they prevent head injuries. According to LSUReveille.com guardian caps reduce concussion by 10% more than a normal helmet, and that statistic doubles if both players are wearing a guardian cap.
However, the puzzling question is why all players are not wearing a guardian cap. Some players choose not to wear a guardian cap because it looks worse. “I can barely even notice the difference between a normal helmet and the guardian cap,” said freshman Charlie Partin. Star running back from the Dolphins Devon Achane elected to wear a guardian cap following his week 6 concussion. Achanne was the first NFL player to score a touchdown wearing a guardian cap. “I appreciate that Devon Achane takes his health seriously and cares about his longevity in the game, not just because he is on my fantasy team, but because I enjoy watching him as a player,” said Senior Thomas Costanzo.
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has been riddled with concussions throughout his past few seasons in the league. However, he still chooses not to wear a guardian cap instead he wears a Vicis Zero2 Matrix ID QB helmet. The helmet has customized padding for quarterbacks and a flexible outer shell. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes also wears a Vicis helmet.
Two other helmets are popular around the league. The first is a Riddell Speed Flex known for its flexible front portion of the helmet. The Speed Flex is popular among linemen. The next most popular helmet is the Schutt F7 which is popular due to its shifting tectonic plate at the top of the helmet. This helmet is meant for absorption and is worn mostly by defensive backs and wide receivers. Helmets are very player-specific, but I believe soon the NFL could mandate guardian caps for player safety.
