Should the NFL Use Guardian Caps During Games?
What is a Guardian Cap? And should the NFL use Guardian Caps during actual games? First of all the cap is a protective football helmet cover. It’s worn over the helmet and helps to reduce the effects of impacts. Also, it adds another layer of flexibility and softness to the helmet; the cap helps lessen the impact of blows. Pretty much every football organization is currently using The Guardian Caps. Colleges, high schools and even youth programs are making use of them.
Last year the use of the Guardian Cap was limited to training camps for linemen and linebackers. However, this year the NFL has a new decree. The caps will be used in all contact practices during the preseason, regular season, and post season. Running backs and full backs are joining the list of players who will wear the cap. These positions are perceived to receive the most head contact. That means kickers, punters, quarterbacks, wide receivers, and defensive backs are not required to wear it.
According to the NFL’s data, if one player is wearing the cap when the helmets impact the cap absorbs 11 to 12 percent of the force. If the second player is also wearing the cap the absorption rate goes up to 20 percent. In light of their own data you would think the NFL would mandate wearing the Guardian Cap during the actual games.
Should the NFL Use Guardian Caps During Games?
If you were thinking that then you thought wrong. According to Jeff Miller, Executive Vice President of Communications they are willing to wait for helmet technology to improve. Apparently at some point in the future they expect to incorporate some of the advantages of the Guardian Cap into making better helmets.
Dr. Allen Sills agrees with Miller as he said to Pat McAfee, “We’re trying to learn how to make a better helmet to make it safer and there’s more work to be done there.”
Since the helmet technology still has room for improvement then shouldn’t the NFL use the Guardian Cap in actual games now? Why wait for the technology to catch up? If you can improve player safety now with what already exists do it. Perhaps the Guardian Cap is not a complete miracle worker. But if it can lessen the impact of helmet contact anywhere from 11 to 20 percent then why not use it?
If player safety is the NFL’s real concern then I think they are missing the boat on this opportunity. They could prevent a concussion. Or they might even save a life. But we won’t find out now.
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