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The 2024 preseason marked the primary time NFL gamers got the choice of carrying protecting caps over their helmets throughout reside motion.
The choice carried over into the common season, and a few gamers continued to reap the benefits of the Guardian Cap coverage. At the least one Steelers participant was seen carrying the soft-shelled cap throughout Pittsburgh’s win over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1.
A handful of different gamers across the league additionally opted for the preventive headgear.
The Guardian Cap was not extensively obtainable when J.J. Watt was wreaking havoc on an opposing crew’s quarterback on a weekly foundation. The cross rusher turned-NFL tv analyst shared his ideas on whether or not the protecting piece of apparatus could be a part of his uniform if he was nonetheless taking part in.
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J.J. Watt of the Arizona Cardinals throughout participant introductions earlier than the San Francisco 49ers sport at Levis Stadium on Jan. 8, 2023, in Santa Clara, California. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Photos)
Whereas Watt admitted particular person gamers have the precise to make their very own choice because it pertains to the Guardian Cap, he stated he wouldn’t put on it throughout video games.
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“I imply, if you wish to put on it, be happy to put on it,” Watt stated. “I imply, if it makes you are feeling safer, completely.
“Would I put on it? Personally, no. However everybody will get to decide on what they need.”
Former NFL participant J.J. Watt earlier than a sport between the Tennessee Titans and the Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on Nov. 2, 2023, in Pittsburgh. (Cooper Neill/Getty Photos)
New England Patriots defensive again Jabrill Peppers was certainly one of a number of gamers who placed on a Guardian Cap in Week 1. The previous Michigan soccer standout stated the protecting headgear added a layer of safety.
“It’s actually for these performs the place you won’t see a man coming from the aspect and get incidental contact in your head,” Peppers stated. “However I don’t actually really feel something with it, so I like that loads.”
Pepper additionally famous the Guardian Cap didn’t impede his capability to carry out on the sphere.
“I’m a hitter, so the extra safety I can get, why not? So long as it’s not impeding me or slowing me down, I don’t see why not,” he added.
Elsewhere, Colts tight finish Kylen Granson additionally opted to put on the cap throughout Indianapolis’ sport towards the Houston Texans.
Bengals defensive sort out Jay Tufele tackles Indianapolis Colts tight finish Kylen Granson at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Aug. 22, 2024.
Granson pushed again towards the concept the looks of the caps ought to affect his choice to position the soft-shelled headgear over his hard-shelled helmet.
“There’s no quantity of aesthetic that might outweigh what a TBI (traumatic mind harm) may do to you,” Granson stated through Instagram late final month. “And one of many extra unknown issues is that not solely is it the large hits that it’s important to fear about, it’s the end result of a bunch of little hits.”
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The Guardian Caps have been launched with the objective of lowering the danger of head accidents when contact happens between gamers on any given play. The caps are designed to have the ability to take up an estimated 10% of the pressure of a success, based on analysis compiled by the NFL.
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