NFL 2023 Season Guardian Caps Mandate Supported By 52% Concussion Drop

NFL Expanded Guardian Caps Mandate For 2023 Season

Guardian Caps Reduced Concussions 52% in NFL Preseason—Mandating Expanded Use in 2023 Season

The 2023 NFL preseason, regular season and post-season practices now requires the use of Guardian Caps during contact practices for certain position groups. The padded helmet cover easily attaches to the top of any existing helmet creating a flexible and soft surface area designed to disperse, energy and mitigate repetitive, cumulative blows which can lead to neurological damage at any age. American football running backs and fullbacks have been added this year to the offensive linemen, defensive linemen, linebackers, and tight ends, as position groups with the most head contact mandated to wear Caps over their helmets to help reduce potential concussions, TBI and CTE. Data compiled from the 2022 preseason and shared by Jeff Miller, NFL Executive Vice President overseeing player health and safety, saw a 52% reduction in reported concussions during the first weeks after requiring Guardian Caps compared to a three-year average of the noted position groups. The Sports Techie community blog chatted today with Guardian Innovations, (Guardian Caps & Pearl by Guardian) President, Lee Hanson, and Jake Hanson, Director, Strategy & Operations at Guardian Sports about the Georgia, faith-based company and learned about the safety product and expanded safety measures to protect players from concussions and repetitive head impacts. They also shared how 63 of 65 teams in college football’s Power 5 Conferences, 9 of top 10 ranked teams in the nation, and 23 of top 25, all wear Guardian Caps during practices. Youth football teams are also on board with many of the defending high school state championship teams here in Georgia as customers, in addition to American Youth Football. I’ve been watching HBO’s Hard Knocks on Max featuring the N.Y. Jets and the players appear to naturally accept wearing the Caps as if they’ve been using them their whole careers instead of just the past two pre-seasons. The final step is mandating them to be worn during the regular season and playoff games which may happen as soon as next year if the NFL so deems. Reducing the impact of hits, keeping the helmets cooler and preserving the lifespan of each helmet are a few of the key features.

Guardian Caps Facts And Notes

– Reduces impact up to 33%.

– Used by: 500+ youth programs, 3000+ high school programs, Top College teams (Georgia, Alabama, Clemson, Oklahoma, Penn State, Texas A&M, Texas, Mizzou, Washington, etc.) and mandated by the NFL.

– Permitted by the NFHS.

– Mandated by the NFL and NFLPA for pre-season practices.

– Perfect for interior position groups. Augments existing helmets to make them pliable and able to more effectively manage energy for OL, DL, LB, TE, etc.

– Pads blows to knees, hands, abdomen, etc. during Inside Run and position drills.

– Reduces sound and vibrational frequencies.

– Insulates heat in direct sunlight keeping the head cooler.

– Lightweight, less than 1/2 a pound.

– One-size fits all

– Preserves helmets & decals for gameday.

I asked about the heat cooling effect as the world swelters in unprecedented climate change. Lee said after a University of Georgia Football practice last year, he placed his hand on both a non-covered and covered helmet and noticed the latter was cooler to the touch. They took this new finding to the labs and using thermocouples validated a 20 degree drop in helmet temperature, later validated by a Brown University study.

Clemson players provided feedback about the lack of headaches after practice while wearing a Guardian Cap and how this was a first for them.

Professional Football

Atlanta Falcons And All Other NFL Teams Practice Mandated To Wear Guardian Caps – Photo Credit To Photographer, Cory Fravel

Guardian won the NFL HeadHealthTech Challenge in 2017 for developing technologies to help reduce head injuries.

Lee said the NFL called last year on a Sunday after an owners meeting and ordered products for all 32 teams needed in three weeks time. After the success of last season, the NFL wanted Guardian Caps to change the design to make it fit better and less egg shaped. The team modified the Caps interior and straps as well as manufacturing them in two different sizes.

All-Access: Inside Jets Joint Practices With Panthers | 2023 One Jets Drive: Episode 2. Look at the 19:24 mark, every player except the quarterback is wearing a Guardian Cap

Equipment managers for the Atlanta Falcons and other teams rave about Guardian Caps.

Jake mentioned the CFL teams are using Guardian Caps across Canada for the first time.

Atlanta Falcons Star Tight End Kyle Pitts Wearing Mandated Guardian Cap At Practice, Photo Credit To Cory Fravel

Guardian Sports Future

Football helmet manufactures such as Schutt Sports, Ridell and Xenith are using helmet technology and helmet science much like Guardian to increase safety measures. I asked if there may be an upcoming helmet and Cap partnership and both men said they are open to the concept.

Ultimate Georgia Football + Guardian Caps segment with John Brenkus and Champ Bailey

Guardian Infill is a Bio-Based TPE based infill for Synthetic Turf. It keeps the turf up to 25F cooler on hot sunny days. It is also blown with 30% air and thus is a softer pellet that reduces impact and abrasion to players (Football, Soccer, Lacrosse, etc…). Guardian Infill is made of user friendly, corn and soy Bio-Based TPE that is used in medical devices and drinking water containers.

Soft, cast Urethane covered golf balls competes with all the premium golf balls on the market. They make the urethane in the USA and cast the balls in Asia under several private label brands. In Golf Digests 2017 Best Golf Balls, they made 12 of the 34 best balls.

The Guardian Pearl Lacrosse Ball is a non-greasing lacrosse ball that stays on the soft end of the NOCSAE/NFHS/NCAA hardness specification. It is the Official Ball of US Lacrosse and MCLA and the only lacrosse ball made in the USA.