In an effort to cut back head accidents and drive innovation in tools expertise, the NFL has licensed the use of Guardian Caps throughout video games.
Several gamers, together with Indianapolis Colts star operating again Jonathan Taylor, started sporting the cap in video games throughout the 2024 preseason. Josh Whyle of the Tennessee Titans selected to put on a Guardian Cap throughout his first recreation of the season vs. the Chicago Bears.
Here are extra particulars about the protecting headgear.
What are Guardian Caps?
Guardian Caps are giant, soft-shelled pads worn over soccer helmets, with the goal of decreasing the danger of concussions and different head accidents throughout play.
How efficient are Guardian Caps?
The cap can soak up at the least 10% of the power of a success, in accordance to NFL research.
Are NFL gamers required to put on Guardian Caps?
NFL gamers are required to put on Guardian Caps throughout coaching camp practices. They can select to put on them throughout video games for the first time throughout the 2024 season.
When have been Guardian Caps created?
In 2011, Erin and Lee Hanson began Guardian Sports with a mission to defend athletes by growing optimum sports activities tools. They have been initially approached in 2010 about growing a versatile shell for helmets.
The founding of Guardian Sports coincided with a Pittsburgh harm legislation agency suing the NFL over concussions, a primary of its variety submitting for 120 former gamers.
The NFL garnered extra head injury-related headlines via the 2015 film “Concussion.” The movie tells the story of forensic pathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu, who battled the NFL about suppressing his analysis on power traumatic encephalopathy (or CTE), a debilitating mind illness that may trigger a spread of signs together with reminiscence loss.
How have Guardian Caps advanced over time?
Guardian Caps have been used in soccer practices since 2015. The preliminary cap was related with a hard and fast strap, however the straps typically broke with their lack of ability to deal with movement. The addition of elastic straps allowed extra motion, however the face masks would nonetheless pop off the straps.
In 2017, a rubber flap was added over the straps, together with Velcro for double reinforcement. That 12 months, the cap gained the inaugural NFL HeadHealthTECH Challenge, a contest funded by the league to promote the improvement of apparatus.
Since then, the cap has undergone in depth testing by the league. The present cap, known as Guardian NXT, was made particularly for the NFL. It has extra padding, which “floats” at the high of the helmet. The floating helps the cap transfer with the helmet to cut back the danger of neck harm.
When did the NFL start utilizing Guardian Caps?
Following a sequence of assessments that simulated the impacts NFL gamers sustained throughout video games from 2015 via 2019, the NFL despatched group physicians, head athletic trainers and tools managers a memo in August 2020. With the check outcomes, the league determined to transfer ahead with on-field experimentation with the caps.
After the Jacksonville Jaguars examined Guardian Caps in 2020, the NFL authorised their use in follow for offensive and defensive linemen in 2021. It was beforehand decided these place teams take extra helmet collisions throughout per week of follow than they do in a recreation. Though it is not marketed as a concussion-preventing gadget, the cap might theoretically assist cut back the charge of concussions.
The NFLPA allowed gamers to use the cap for follow on a voluntary foundation in 2021. Twenty-three groups started camp with the caps on an experimental foundation.
The padded headgear was mandated for gamers at sure positions throughout coaching camp in 2022 and 2023. This 12 months, NFL government vp Jeff Miller stated that Guardian Caps have contributed to a virtually 50% discount in concussions for his or her specified place teams.
Will gamers put on Guardian Caps throughout the common season?
While NFL gamers are actually allowed to put on Guardian Caps throughout video games, it stays to be seen what number of gamers will choose to put on them throughout the common season.
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