As NFL teams work through the preseason and prepare for the start of the regular season, one of the league's most visible safety measures is back in the spotlight: Guardian Caps.
The padded helmet covers, first introduced in practices in 2022, have become a common sight during training camp and preseason games as the NFL seeks to reduce head injuries and concussions. Here's what Guardian Caps are, why some players wear them and whether they can be used during the regular season.
What is a Guardian Cap?
The Guardian Cap is a padded, soft-shell cover that wraps over a regular helmet to absorb contact and help minimize the impact of violent collisions, reducing concussions.
When the Guardian Caps debuted in 2022, the NFL said they could reduce the force from head contact
by 10% for a player wearing one. If all players wore them, that could rise to 20%.
Concussion numbers have trended lower since 2018. TheNFL said they conducted about 1.6 concussion evaluations per game in 2023. About every three to four evaluations turned up a positive concussion diagnosis.
Anatomy of a concussion
A concussion usually results from a blow to the head. This creates a mild bruising of the brain tissue. The symptoms of a concussion can range from confusion and dizziness to a loss of consciousness. There are generally three grades of a concussion, according to severity.
- Grade 1: Commonly referred to as a bell ringer. The player experiences confusion or inattentiveness for less than 15 minutes. There is no amnesia or loss of consciousness.
- Grade 2: Confusion is accompanied by other symptoms, such as ringing in the ears, amnesia and nausea.
- Grade 3: A loss of consciousness.
How effective are Guardian Caps
According to their manufacturer, Guardian Caps “bring a padded, soft-shell layer to the outside of the decades-old hard-shell helmet and reduce impact up to 33%.”
The NFL reported that the mandatory use of Guardian Caps for linemen and running backs in preseason practices has resulted in a 50% decrease in concussions since 2022.
When did the NFL start wearing the Guardian Cap?
In 2017, Guardian won the NFL HeadHealthTECH Challenge. In 2020, multiple NFL teams tried out the Guardian Cap during their practices.
The NFL permitted Guardian Caps in the 2021 season after a year's worth of data and lab testing showed a “statistically significant” improvement over helmets alone. In early 2022, the NFL owners announced that the league would mandate the use of Guardian Caps during the early part of training camp for several positions.
Is the Guardian Cap the future?
In addition to the Guardian Cap, a new group of helmets this year provide as much – if not more – protection than older helmet models paired with a Guardian Cap.
NFL exempted players from using the Guardian Caps during the mandated portion of training camp if they selected one of the six new helmet models that provide equal or better protection, according to the league and the NFL Players Association.
Sources: USA TODAY Network reporting and research; NFL; Guardian
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Guardian Caps have reduced preseason concussions, NFL says. See how they work
