The NFL has adjusted its rules to enable players to wear Guardian Caps during regular-season games to improve their protection against head injuries, the league announced Friday.
During training camp in 2022 and 2023, players in specific positions were required to wear padded headgear. NFL executive vice president Jeff Miller stated that Guardian Caps played a significant role in reducing concussions by nearly 50% for the position groups that wore them during those years.
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According to Miller, in a statement given to ESPN on Friday, there is now a two-year data indicating a notable decrease in concussions among players who use Guardian Caps during practice. As a result, players will be allowed to wear the caps during games in the upcoming season. Furthermore, there are new helmets available this year that offer equal, if not superior, protection compared to a different helmet model combined with a Guardian Cap. These advancements signify a significant stride in our endeavors to enhance player safety in the game.
During games, the Guardian Caps are expected to feature team logos on them, according to the current plan.
The NFL has announced that players will be exempt from using the Guardian Caps during the mandatory portion of training camp, on the condition that they opt to wear one of the six newly identified helmet models that the league and the NFL Players Association have determined to offer equal or superior protection.
In a recent offseason development, the NFL has broadened its training camp regulations by requiring players at every position, except for quarterbacks and specialists, to wear Guardian Caps. Pro Football Talk was the first to report the news about this game day rule change in the NFL.
