BroBible
March 11, 2024
Spring football practice got underway at the University of Pittsburgh last week. The Panthers took the field in pads for the first time since the end of November and did so in a new set of concussion caps.
They are the way forward!
While these new caps may have existed prior to this new calendar year, I personally have not seen them before. They are new to me and I am not alone in that. There was a lot of confusion among college football fans about why the helmets looked strange as Pitt started spring ball.
However, they actually look more normal than ever. Let me explain!
Here is what the traditional concussion (“guardian”) caps look like:
The fourth picture in this series provides the best look at the new caps:
Yes, it is weird if you don’t know what they are. I get it.
But this is actually the way forward. Players don’t have to strap a bulky cap to the top of their helmet that does not look anything like their uniform.
Instead, they slide a cap over top. It fits snug around the helmet and does not slide around. It also mimics what their non-capped helmet looks like so the optics are no longer an issue!
As for their purpose, the caps are proven to decrease head injuries. The NFL said that there was a 52% decrease in concussions by players at positions wearing Guardian Caps during training camp last year.
That is a great thing!
College football is a dangerous game and player safety is something that continues to be an important topic of conversation. Pitt’s new concussion caps are an easy thing to implement to protect the athletes’ brains without having to worry about the frustrating discomfort or appearance.
From where I am sitting, it’s a no-brainer. Any of the players who were hesitant about the old school concussion caps for one reason or another should have much less issue with the ones that the Panthers rolled out last week.