NFL Introduces Mandatory Guardian Caps for Defensive Backs, Receivers during Contact Practices to Reduce Head Injuries

NFL players will have the option to wear Guardian caps during team practices this fall, with defensive backs and receivers required to use them during all contact sessions alongside other position groups. Quarterbacks, kickers, and punters are not yet subject to the same mandate. The soft-shell protective headgear is designed to absorb approximately 10% of force upon impact on a helmet, doubling to 20% when both players involved in a hit wear them simultaneously, according to NFL data cited by Associated Press (AP). Use of these caps was required for some during training camp last year and officials told the AP that concussions reached their lowest point over seven years. Guardian Sports manufactures this protective headgear which reduces 33% of impact force, helps maintain a helmet’s quality through wear-and-tear reduction while keeping it cool too as stated on their website. This is part of ongoing player safety initiatives that the NFL has prioritized over recent years due to football-related traumatic brain injuries and concussions becoming an increasingly significant issue for the league, with former players claiming they experienced lingering effects linked to head trauma from playing careers. In 2015, retired players impacted by certain neurological disorders received $1 billion in payouts as part of a settlement concerning NFL’s handling of brain injuries and concussions.