Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Jon Heath

NFL players can wear Guardian Caps during games in 2024

The helmets of select NFL players might look a little larger than usual this fall.

The league has approved the (optional) use of Guardian Caps for regular season games during the 2024 season. After mandating the caps for practice in 2023, the NFL saw a reduced number of head injuries. The caps are not mandatory for games, but players can choose to wear them.

“We now have two years of data showing significant concussion reductions among players who wear Guardian Caps during practice so players will be permitted to wear the cap during games this upcoming season,” Jeff Miller, the NFL’s EVP overseeing player health and safety said in a statement.

It remains to be seen how many players will opt into wearing a cap during a game. One would assume that offensive linemen and players returning from concussions will be the most likely candidates to wear the extra protection.

The Guardian Caps will be mandatory for most positions at practice this summer, and then become optional when games begin in the fall.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.