Of the many new or tweaked rules for the NFL 2024 season, the one getting the most attention is probably the new kickoff rule (which we got to see in action last night during the Texans/Bears HOF Game), but there is another rule enacted in the name of safety that might not be gaining traction among players: they are now permitted to wear “Guardian Caps” during games.
If you read Weekend Editor Jim Vilk’s post from last Sunday (and I know you did), some teams have already begun wearing custom cap covers, indicating they will at the very least give players the option of wearing the Guardian Caps in-game, with an attempt to make the protective headgear “match” the team helmets — even if they don’t quite pull it off.
I was hoping thinking we might see at least one Guardian Cap being worn on the field during last evening’s HOF game, but alas — unless I somehow missed it — all players wore their regular helmets, sans the protective padding. We’ll need to wait until next week to see if any other players decide to test them during live play. They are now required during practices.
But one team that will likely not be adopting the Guardian Caps during play is the Miami Dolphins.
Pro Football Network recently asked six Dolphins if they plan to wear Guardian Caps this football season. All six said “No,” and did so to varying degrees of snark/derision.
Dolphins linebacker Jordyn Brooks said, “No way. It’s like an extra 10 pounds on your head, makes it a lot hotter, heavier. No, I wouldn’t do it. … They call them UFO caps.”
Dolphins safety Elijah Campbell quipped, “I don’t like the aesthetics of it; I’ll leave it at that.”
Dolphins tackle Terron Armstead said, “I’ve just been playing football a certain way for a long time. I’m not really getting into changing it up.”
All this machismo disguised as personal choice flies in the face of data showing the caps are safer and greatly reduce the risk of CTE.
“We’ve got two years of data now showing significant concussion reductions in those players that wear Guardian Caps in the NFL,” said Dr. Allen Sills, the NFL’s Chief Medical Officer. “We might actually see a Guardian Cap on a player in a game this year.”
I’m in agreement with the players on one thing: they do look goofy — but that’s the point. The NFL is deathly afraid of the recent concussion controversy and is determined to take whatever CYA steps it can in this area. This includes implementing the new “kickoff rule” for this season, as well as permitting players to wear the Guardian Caps during games.
In sports, as well as IRL, safety measures are often first met with skepticism and derision, and only over time do they become an accepted and welcomed feature. Think of motorcycle helmets or seat belts in cars. Think of batter’s helmets (and catcher’s face masks) in baseball. Hockey helmets too. All of these safety measures were originally pushed-back against, but now are just part of the game. Even football helmets weren’t originally worn during the game’s early years. They’ve gone from leather to plastic to all kinds of space-age materials. Facemasks took a long time to be worn, and the first ones were either single bar or even just clear plastic. But we don’t think twice now when we see a player in the latest helmet with a highly protective cage. I believe that in time, the Guardian Caps will follow this trajectory.
The NFL regular season is just a few weeks away now. Maybe the Dolphins won’t be wearing the caps, but maybe some players on other squads will.
Time will tell.
A helmet makes sense. A face mask makes sense. Ten extra pounds that looks ridiculous does not. There is no way anyone thinks these look good. There has to be a better way to improve head safety without sacrificing the aesthetic of a football helmet.
I don’t have an ounce of machismo in me, but I would never wear one of these in a game. I’m pretty weird about clothes though. I think about what I wear each day way too much.
They weigh 7 ounces, not 10 pounds
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I would guess that when hard shells came out decades ago a lot of people laughed at the “big heads” running around on the field…
And I would guess and hope that helmet manufacturers are working on an integrated version where the soft cap is attached to the shell and is more compact
Quite frankly the “aesthetics” are unimportant. Decrying someone who wants to remember their kids names when they’re 40 for wearing 7 ounces of foam is pretty low. You wouldn’t complain at any other profession for wearing safety equipment. Don’t do it here. “There has to be a better way” is also unimportant. There IS a good way. The guardian cap. It exists now.
Nobody is forcing you to play football. And yes, there has to be a better way. I think the players will agree.
I’ve heard this from a lot of folks. If you want to make football safer, it may make sense to go the other direction. Not wearing the latest head protection might force players to tackle correctly. No more leading with their heads.
And/Or they could soften the playing field so that it absorbs impact better, don’t know how that would impact grip for cleats but there are a lot of materials available these days
I was this way for years, convinced it was the way to go, until I started reading studies about rugby (the closest comparison we would have) and the concussion rate is even higher.
I just don’t know what can be done about concussions in contact sports. Doesn’t seem like the technology is there yet but the guardian caps might be a step in the right direction.
Guardian caps do make football safer. They’ve been effective. It works now with what they have.
The one area that makes sense for this is the line of scrimmage. The constant small collisions on each play add up.
How do they significant data on concussions if they haven’t been worn in actual games yet ?!?? They barely have contact in practice these days
* have
A study by Stanford Medicine tends to disagree with “significant concussion reductions” statement:
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Well, we don’t do things based upon solid research results anymore. The last 4 years have shown us that.
4 years?
“Think of motorcycle helmets or seat belts in cars.”
“You’re not allowing natural selection to do its work. You’re like the guy who invented the seat belt.” Dwight Schrute
Regardless of safety, these caps are a bit of a Uni Watch apocalypse. Pretty much ruin any uniform. But if they do prove legitimately safer, it’s hard to be mad at it.
There was a lot of push back when NHL goalies started wearing masks.
I’m not sayin no get rid of helmets.helmets and goalie masks make sense. I’m just saying, they have to find a better idea than this.
Posted earlier this week but didn’t get a response:
Players who are wearing the Riddell Axiom and Vicis helmets aren’t wearing the Guardian Caps during Training Camp. I don’t know if there’s an exemption, but I haven’t seen a single Axiom clad player with a Guardian Cap over it (admittedly I haven’t done as much digging in to 100% verify if ALL players who are wearing the Vicis are sans GC, or if just a majority).
To me it seems that if players don’t like the look or the extra weight, they can switch to a different helmet and negate the need.
Anyone have any insight into this?
Axioms are already hideously ugly.. can’t imagine one of the caps on one..
They are hideous, but seeing players in the team seat covers suddenly makes them more acceptable. Especially with the aesthetic face mask adjustments.
I am all for player safety, but any player who wears a Guardian helmet looks like the Great Gazoo, without the special powers.
Aaron Rodgers already looks like Gazoo with a regular helmet. Look at some pics. His helmet always seems too big for his head to me. Given his ego, hard to believe they found something bigger than his head.
Are these things not fitted correctly? All of the guardian caps have ear holes, but not a single one in any picture in this article has the ear holes aligned anywhere near the ear holes on the helmet.
Really doubt anyone will wear Guardian Cap during a game. The CFL is allowing Guardian Caps to be used in games this season. They are in Week 9 and no Guardian Cap has been worn on the field. I expect something similar in NFL.
They can allow these to be worn in a game all day long but, until it’s actually required, I can’t see these making their way onto the field.
Just like helmets and seat belts, (although most are now compulsory), as long as they’re available, I’m all for it. But while both were available for years before being mandated (in most states), adoption was slow at first. Now almost everyone wears a helmet or seat belt, not for fear of a ticket (though in some that may still be the divine reason), but with the sense of knowing that the additional protection they afford is worth any discomfort (or not looking cool).
I’m not saying the Guardian Caps will eliminate concussions or CTE. But if they are proven to lessen the chances for either, eventually they will become accepted. And like with most things, it will probably start by “grandfathering” (I hate that term, but at least it has a clear meaning) in players who never had to wear them, and mandate them for rookies. Just like batting helmets, and then batting helmets with earflaps in baseball.
But to your point — I don’t know if we can say NO ONE will wear one until mandated, but that’s probably what it will take to get most to do so.
Yep, totally agree with all of that.
I’ve been watching hockey for forty years. At first I hated the helmets because I couldn’t tell the players apart. Ultimately I came to like them for the color they added to the uniform. Recently I was surprised to learn all players have been wearing visors without my noticing. I guess what I am saying is I can get used to anything.
If the numbskulls (pun intended) who teach tackling would teach the players not to lead with their melon, you’d not have the concussion issues. The concussions are generally a result of DB’s taking a running leap into a pile head first, or dropping their head while leading headfirst into a tackle. You don’t need more equipment. You need better coaching. And you need rules on spearing, head first tackling, etc., to protect the players from themselves.
I missed Jim’s Sunday article about the gameday covers. Yep, now they’re not heinously mismatched. I don’t even watch football anymore, but no issues from me, all the “helmets” should look alike! Now for more about those guardian cap covers…
The US flag made it on there. For all the helmet personalizations out there (flag for your ancestors’ country, Man of the Year nominee, green dot, etc), I wonder which ones will get lost. It makes sense to have specific player-issued caps (some people have small helmets, medium, large, etc), and obviously the Chargers have big helmet numbers on the side. It should be interesting to see if somebody has a quick replacement “team stock” cap or somebody else’s cap on!
In rugby and AFL footy, some players with a concussion history wear helmets. Can see someone in a similar situation go the guardian cap like Don Beebe did in the day.