September 5, 2024
INDIANAPOLIS — Kylen Granson has become the face of the Guardian cap movement in the NFL.
Granson, the veteran Colts tight end, has been outspoken about his decision to wear the soft shell on his helmet in the regular season, making him one of two Indianapolis players to wear the cap.
Five Colts wore the Guardian caps during games in the preseason — Granson and free safety Rodney Thomas will wear the cap, running back Jonathan Taylor and linebacker Grant Stuard do not plan to wear it during games, and former Indianapolis running back Zavier Scott is now on Minnesota’s practice squad.
Granson has gotten a lot of attention for his decision, a choice that was not difficult for him to make.
“My mom, my parents, they’ve always taught me, from an early age, protect yourself, protect your head,” Granson said. “That’s what’s really important. Your health. … I thought it was the perfect platform to use my voice and use my platform to speak to safety.”
Granson says he’s been flooded with messages from parents and coaches who support his decision to wear the Guardian cap and speak out about their protective capabilities.
He also acknowledged that he’s seen the blowback from fans and teammates who do not like the way it looks.
Granson chalks those reactions up to unfamiliarity. Every time a new safety measure is implemented in sports, Granson said, there is blowback.
“I saw a lot of people referencing the F1 Halo devices,” Granson said. “Everybody thought they were dumb at first, and then over time, they were like, ‘OK, these are really, really valuable and useful.’ … I respect the fans, it may not be as aesthetically pleasing to see a helmet with a foam pad on it, but with the positive health benefits of it, it’ll allow their favorite players to play longer and play safer.”
Taylor, who has been conscious about longevity and the best ways to prolong his career, does not plan to wear the Guardian cap during the regular season.
The superstar running back wore the Guardian cap during the preseason on a trial basis, but he did not feel like he played enough snaps to test all the potential ramifications of the covering.
NFL players are now allowed to wear the soft shells on top of their helmets during games; the league has mandated their use in practice since 2022, expanding the number of players required to wear the Guardians each year.
“I tested it out, but I didn’t have enough preseason reps to really tell how it would affect me,” Taylor said. “For me, I was trying to see how much it could hinder me, if a defender would be able to (grab it) and somehow I could’ve slipped away. I don’t think I really got as many reps in the preseason to test that out, and I don’t really want to test it out in the regular game, something happens and I’m getting yanked.”
Granson believes in the effectiveness of the Guardian caps.
He’s also aware that the soft shells are not the only way to better protect a player’s brain.
“There are some helmets that are effective as a helmet with a Guardian cap,” Granson said. “I know a few teammates, while they’re not wearing Guardian caps, they have upgraded their helmets. … For those who don’t, it’s their personal decision.”
The NFL tests all of the helmets available to players and rates them from green (the safest helmets available) to red (unavailable to NFL players now).
“My helmet was at the top,” Taylor said. “Green.”
Taylor is not the only Colt who plans to stop using the Guardian cap now that the preseason is over.
Stuard also plans to go back to his usual helmet.
“I felt like it was making me play a little softer,” Stuard said. “And I primarily wore the Guardian during the preseason, one to test it out, but two, because I was playing a lot of defensive snaps, a lot more defensive snaps than I usually play, and when I play defense I use my head a whole lot because I don’t have elite arm length.”
Stuard will likely play special teams primarily to open the season.
“For some reason, it was discouraging my aggression, I think, when I had the Guardian on,” Stuard said. “I might switch back and go back to the other way, because I did play really well on special teams with the Guardian on.”
The problem of opponents pulling on loose portions of the helmet was not lost on Stuard.
Stuard wears a custom helmet that does not have a traditional chin strap, a design feature that is part of most of the new helmets the NFL approved this season. When he has worn a chin strap like that, Stuard says it’s a target for opponents to rip during the play.
“With some of the newer helmets, they still have the buckle chin straps, the snaps,” Stuard said. “I remember one time, when I first got here, I had the quarterback helmet on because they were taking a second to get my custom helmet from Tampa. I was running down on punt, and I was about to run past a guy because he couldn’t really hold me up very well, and he just unbuckled both my chin straps.”
Granson does not believe the Guardian caps restrict his play in any way.
An opinion shared by Thomas, a third-year safety who plans to continue wearing the Guardian caps in the regular season.
“If I’m practicing like that every day, day to day, I’ll play the same way I practice,” Thomas said. “It doesn’t hurt me at all to wear it. You can only gain from it.”
Do Guardian Caps reduce concussions?
According to NFL research, the cap can absorb at least 10% of the force of a hit.
It was difficult to tell which players were wearing the Guardian Caps at first glance; the straps from the coverings can be seen and the helmet looks bigger on a closer look, however.
What are Guardian Caps
Guardian Caps are pads attached to helmets in an effort to reduce the risk of suffering a concussion while playing football.
According to NFL research, the cap can absorb at least 10% of the force of a hit.
NFL players were required to wear them during training camp practices and, for the first time, can chose to wear them during games.
Guardian Cap Cost
The NFL is using Guardian Caps’ NXT model, according to Guardiansports.com, which are listed for $125 but only available to NFL players and college linemen.
Guardiansports.com, however, sells the helmet covers for football, lacrosse and hockey helmets for $69.99. helmets in an effort to reduce the risk of suffering a concussion while playing football.