January 16, 2025
Prior to the start of the 2024 season, the NFL approved use of the Guardian Cap helmet covers for players in games. The cap is made up of several forms of padding meant to reduce the force of impacts against the helmet and, thus, the player’s head.
While it is not proven to eliminate or even necessarily reduce the rate of concussions (studies are currently inconclusive), it does effectively reduce the rate of force of hits. There was just one glaring problem that seemingly prevent more players from opting to wear the caps. They’re really, really ugly.
Now, that may seem ridiculous when you consider that it could significantly improve a player’s long-term health. Would you rather look silly or not be able to speak in complete sentences at 60 years old? That seems like an easy choice. And yet players routinely object to wearing them in large part due to appearances.
“I can’t stand them. It impacts my swag,” Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay told CBS Sports. “My game is part of my swag. If I ain’t looking the part, I can’t feel the part.”
“I hate them,” Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Jarran Reed told The Seattle Times. “I understand the safety for them, but I’ve been playing a long time. It just looks crazy to me. I don’t like them. I’m ready to take them off.”
Now, however, it appears that problem may become a thing of the past.
The Instagram account UniSwag reports that the Guardian Cap 2.0, which releases in February, will allow for team logos and decals to be printed on the helmets themselves. This makes for a more accurate copy of the prototypical helmet.
Will this mean that we’ll see a sudden influx of players wearing Guardian Caps in 2025? Probably not. But the odds are a handful of players will now determine that it’s a more suitable option.