How a 12-Ounce Layer of Foam Changed the NFL
How a 12-Ounce Layer of Foam Changed the NFL
Even the makers of the Guardian Cap admit it looks silly. But for a sport facing an existential brain-injury crisis, once unthinkable solutions have now become almost normal.
Late in his team’s game against the Green Bay Packers on September 15, Indianapolis Colts tight end Kylen Granson caught a short pass over the middle of the field, charged forward, and lowered his body to brace for contact. The side of his helmet smacked the face mask of linebacker Quay Walker, and the back of it whacked the ground as Walker wrestled him down. Rising to his feet after the 9-yard gain, Granson tossed the football to an official and returned to the line of scrimmage for the next snap.
Aside from it being his first reception of the 2024 National Football League season, this otherwise ordinary play was only noteworthy because of what Granson was wearing at the time of the hit: a 12-ounce, foam-padded, protective helmet covering called a Guardian Cap.
Already mandatory for most positions at all NFL preseason practices, as well as regular-season and postseason practices with contact, these soft shells received another vote of confidence this year when the league greenlit them for optional game use, citing a roughly 50 percent drop in training camp concussions since their official 2022 debut. Through six weeks of action this fall, only 10 NFL players had actually taken the field with one on, according to a league spokesperson. But the decision was easy for Granson, who tried out his gameday Guardian Cap—itself covered by a 1-ounce pinnie with the Colts logo to simulate the design of the helmet underneath—in preseason games before committing to wear it for real.
Honestly, they don't even look that weird. Slow adoption is likely just due to the culture of machismo in sports, because the choice to wear it or not is up to each player and they all rib each other for being soft or a pussy all the fucking time.
Even getting MLB catchers to start wearing gloves was like pulling teeth back in the day.
I don't think you could really say they're changing the nfl, I'm watching the game right now and I don't think there's a single one anywhere on either team. In fact other than maybe one or two players I don't think I've seen anyone wearing them at all this year.
Get rid of the pads and helmets and play like the rugby.
Thought it was this guy:
Adding 12oz of weight to helmets is better than TBI but doesn’t feel like the best solution. I think a helmet redesign to incorporate those features would be better, like how MIPS helmets were introduced in other sports.