The 24-25 National Football League season kicks off tonight with the reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs taking on the Baltimore Ravens. While many will be turned in for what promises to be a hard hitting game, they may be shocked by something new on the field. For the first time in NFL history, players have the option over wearing a Guardian Cap. Teams have been using these soft shell helmet covers in pre-season practices for years and have seen a 52% decline in concussion injuries. To continue this safety protocol players will have the option of 12 different helmet models this season, including the Guardian Cap.

Brain injuries, especially concussions, are a serious issue in the NFL. A concussion happens when a player’s brain is shaken inside their skull, often due to a hard hit or fall. These injuries can cause symptoms like headaches, dizziness, confusion, and more serious, long-term problems. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE),  is a brain disease that can develop after repeated head injuries. It can lead to memory loss, difficulty thinking, depression, and even aggressive behavior. 

One of the more infamous cases of CTE involves former Pro-Bowl Iinebacker  Junior Seau. Years of aggressive physical contact, often including direct head to body hits for the San Diego Chargers and The New England Patriots, cased Seau to suffer multiple concussions and ultimately serious brain injury. Doctors have directly named Seau's CTE, a as the cause for his suicide in 2012. 

A second case involves former New England Tight End, Aaron Hernandez. As a Tight End Hernandez was one of Hernandez' prime responsibilities was blocking, resulting in many concussions throughout his football career. After only 3 years in the NFL, Hernandez began showing sign of CTE by acting out  violently. In 2013 Hernandez was arrested for the murder of Odin Lloyd. Like Seau, Hernandez took his own life while in prison facing a life sentence.

This NFL has started to take steps to protect players. They have stricter rules about when players can return to the game after a concussion They have made the game safer by penalizing hits to the head. Most importantly, the NFL is investing heavily in better helmet technology. Studies have shown that multiple head impacts, even if they don't result in concussions, could lead to long term brain damage. Enter the Guardian Cap.

In 2017, Guardian Caps won the NFL HeadHealth Tech Challenge by creating a helmet cover of soft material, proper density, stiffness and energy absorbing properties that "reduces the initial severity of the impact." The NFL mandated the use of Guardian Caps in the 2022 preseason and reported a 52% reduction in concussions for those positions during the mandated period versus the previous three-year average. This year, the NFL has increased the mandate to include receivers and defensive backs as a safety protocol. They are even allowing the Guardian Caps to be worn during the season. In an interview with NPR, Indiana Colts Tight End Kylen Granson states he will be wearing one, "I'm going to get married this coming year. I want to be able to remember our first dance 30 years from now. I want to be able to remember my first kid's steps.