The NFL is constantly striving to improve its safety measures. Last year, the league introduced Guardian Caps to the teams’ training camps, and now they are contemplating a surprising decision regarding their future use.
Injuries, particularly concussions, have been a significant issue for the NFL throughout its history. Despite technological advancements that have improved helmet design to mitigate these injuries, they are undoubtedly not flawless in eradicating them.
For that reason, the league has been working really hard to see new options to reduce the amount of concussions. The introduction of the Guardian Caps was the first step, with a shocking move with them expected to arrive soon.
NFL contemplates surprising decision regarding Guardian Caps
Last year, the NFL mandated the use of Guardian Caps for all linemen, linebackers, and tight ends. These soft-shelled helmet covers are designed to mitigate impacts to the hard shell, thereby decreasing the risk of concussions.
The Guardian Caps, used during preseason and regular-season contact practices, have now become compulsory for running backs as well. Their advantages have been noteworthy, to the extent that the NFL is contemplating their potential inclusion in actual games.
“I think the day could come,”stated Jeff Miller, the NFL executive responsible for player health and safety oversight, during an interview on Good Morning Football on Thursday. “But at the same time, a lot of the helmets are also making advances, too, and so some of the protective benefits you get from the Guardian Cap hopefully will be seen in helmets in the next year or two.
“A corner sees the world very differently from the quarterback,” Miller said. “He experiences different sorts of impacts, different magnitudes. And we’ve been able to track that, analyze those, create laboratory tests. … And as a result, you can ‘tune’ helmets to those sorts of impacts. … We also see a lot of position-specific helmets for linemen, because they get hit a lot towards the front.”
