MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Guardian hats are soft protective helmet covers that the NFL has allowed players to wear during games this season in an effort to reduce head injuries.
Several players wore them during the first seven weeks, although Tua Tagovailoa, like most NFL players, said Monday he will not wear the headgear when he returns from his latest concussion. Players have cited various reasons, including comfort and aesthetics, for not wearing them.
The NFL has mandated the use of hats in contact practices for most players since 2022. Quarterbacks, kickers and punters are the only position groups that are not required to wear hats during practices that involve contact.
There are six types of helmets approved by the league that players can wear during contact practices that do not require Guardian Caps.
Tagovailoa has been cleared by medical experts to return to play for the Miami Dolphins after suffering a concussion during a collision with Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin in Week 2.
If Tagovailoa clears the NFL’s concussion protocol after he practices Wednesday, he is expected to start against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.
Here’s a look at Guardian hats and how they are used in the NFL:
What are Guardian Caps?
The 12-ounce padded shells are affixed to the top of the player’s helmet. The NFL said studies show that when a player wears protective gear, it results in at least a 10% reduction in the severity of the impact. This number rises to at least 20% if both players involved in the collision are wearing them.
There is no 100% concussion resistant headgear for NFL players
This season, the league introduced eight position-specific helmets for quarterbacks and infielders. Position-specific helmets are not concussion-resistant but are designed to reduce head impacts.
“Anyone can get a concussion on any helmet with the right hit,” Dr. Allen Sills, the NFL’s chief medical officer, told The Associated Press. “What we always look at is relative risk reduction. So, by wearing one of the best performing helmets, the player certainly reduces the risk of concussion. And again, that’s what our lab data and field data have shown over the last eight years.”
The NFL says Guardian Caps have been effective
The NFL said last week that it had seen the lowest number of concussions in the preseason since tracking began in 2015. There were 44 concussions in practices and games, a decrease of about 24% from last year. The use of Guardian Caps was among the reasons cited by league executive Jeff Miller for the cut.
Who else uses hats besides NFL players?
More than 300 college programs, 3,000 high school programs and 750 youth programs across the country use the caps.
When were hats created?
Guardian was founded in 2010 by Erin and Lee Hanson. The Guardian Cap was launched in 2011 and became available in 2012 after successful biomechanical and field testing.
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