Professional football players may look a little different this year and the sounds of the NFL may change with it.
In an announcement shared on April 26, NFL executive vice president Jeff Miller revealed that the league has changed its rules “allow players the option of using Guardian Caps in regular-season games to enhance their protection against head injuries,” ESPN reports.
In the statement share with ESPN, Miller revealed that the league now has “two years of data showing significant concussion reductions among players who wear Guardian Caps during practice, so players will be permitted to wear the cap during games this upcoming season.”
As Miller continued, in addition to offering the option of the Guardian Caps, the typical helmets have also been updated as well.
“There are new helmets this year that provide as much — if not more — protection than a different helmet model paired with a Guardian Cap,” Miller revealed. “These developments represent substantial progress in our efforts to make the game safer for players.”
For those who opt in to wearing the Guardian Caps, the Caps will be personalized with their respective NFL team’s logo on them.
According to the Guardian Cap’s official website, it was created in 2010. However, when the helmet was initially presented to sports executives, it was quickly realized “that changing the look and sound of the game was a big “no” for a lot of players, fans, and coaches.”
“They decided to take to market the affordable Guardian Cap that could be easily attached to the helmet during practices and taken off during games. Reducing impact in practice was more than nothing.”
Several comments have made quips about the look of the Cap, however many more NFL fans agree that athletes’ heads need to be more protected particularly in contact sports. “As a former football player with early signs of CTE… I support. […] Our brains are more important than the look of the helmet,” one commenter wrote.
“It’s easy to laugh and judge when it’s not your cousin or brother or uncle or dad that has to deal with CTE and the long lasting effects,” another commenter added.