Several NFL players wore helmets with extra padding, called ‘Guardian Caps’, in games for the first time on Sunday in the latest move by the league to safeguard against future concussions.
The caps have been a regular feature in practices for NFL teams since 2022 and were worn by some players in pre-season. Now a small number of players have now elected to wear the modified helmets in games, after the NFL signed off on the move back in April.
The caps attach to the top of the helmet, providing an extra layer of padding with a soft shell which absorbs the initial contact. According to the manufacturers, the caps reduce the impact of collisions by 33 per cent.
“We now have two years of data showing significant concussion reductions among players who wear Guardian Caps during practice, so players will be permitted to wear the cap during games this upcoming season,” said NFL executive vice president Jeff Miller back in April.
Jabril Peppers, who plays safety for the New England Patriots and finished Sunday’s win over the Cincinnati Bengals with six total tackles, has been one of the early adopters of the Guardian Cap helmet in games.
Peppers discussed his decision afterwards with The Athletic, noting that if the temperature had been in the mid-20s (Celsius) he would have opted not to wear it. A sleeve is required to go over the cap, blocking out any air holes and therefore increasing a player’s temperature. The difference between Peppers’ helmet and a regular NFL helmet can be seen here in the Patriots’ pre-game huddle.
Explaining the positives of wearing the helmet, Peppers said: “It’s really for those plays where you might not see a guy coming from the side and get incidental contact on your head. But I don’t really feel anything with it, so I like that a lot.
“I’m a hitter, so the more protection I can get, why not? As long as it’s not impeding me or slowing me down, I don’t see why not.”
Other players wearing the caps on Sunday included Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman James Daniels, Indianapolis Colts tight end Kylen Granson and safety Rodney Thomas, plus Tennessee Titans tight end Josh Whyle.
Whyle explained to ESPN last week that he made the decision after suffering his second concussion within a year during training camp with the Titans over the summer.
“I can’t mess around anymore,” Whyle said. “I want to stay healthy and if this is what it takes, then I’m all for it.”
The NFL reached an $765 million agreement (£584 million) with a group of 4,500 former players back in 2013, after the group sued the league on the grounds that they had been misled over the long-term dangers of head injuries while playing in the NFL.