Welcome to FTW Explains, a guide to catching up on and better understanding stuff going on in the world. Have you seen quarterbacks wearing bigger helmets that look kind of weird during training camp? We’re here to help.
Last year, it was all about what are called Guardian Caps worn by NFL players during training camps to prevent head injuries during practices.
In 2023? You’re going to see some quarterbacks wearing bigger-looking helmets that might make you do a double-take — why is that helmet so big?
We have answers for you as NFL training camps are now mostly in full swing:
What's this now about new helmets?
The NFL announced back in April that there would be a new QB-specific helmet that could be worn meant to reduce the impact of a quarterback’s helmeted head hitting the ground, because that’s when — per the league — “half of all QB concussions occur.”
It’s called the VICIS ZERO2 Matrix QB.
Does it really work?
Again, per the league: “The VICIS ZERO2 MATRIX QB performed 7% better in quarterback-specific testing than the most popular helmet worn by quarterbacks last season.”
Who's wearing them?
Apparently, Joe Burrow is wearing one:
Joe Burrow wearing the new QB-specific helmet aimed at reducing the effects of head-to-ground impact, which causes half of QB concussions.
Photo by the Bengals' Ryan Meyer. Full gallery: https://t.co/kdSYmIOGc7 pic.twitter.com/Uya7lNuT17
— Jay Morrison (@ByJayMorrison) July 23, 2023
Although it’s not official, Aaron Rodgers might be donning one:
Looks like Aaron Rodgers is finally being forced to wear one of the newer helmets? He never changed it in Green Bay. Nice to see him finally going full Eli. pic.twitter.com/EtsJjHnSFC
— Tim Ryan🦤 (@TheSportsHernia) July 23, 2023
Why is it so much bigger?
Here’s more from Vicis exec Jason Neubauer, via The Associated Press, which might explain it:
“The unique thing is that it has a deformal outer shell, which means when you take an impact in any location on that helmet, it will deform or basically dent in that location to absorb the impact,” Neubauer said. “What that means for us, as designers or engineers, as we’re looking to optimize it for different types of impacts, we’re able to change unique locations to try to optimize the impact mitigation in any one area.”
How does it look compared to the old ones?
Here you go:
Bengals QB Joe Burrow is using a VICIS ZERO2 with an SO-212 facemask and a Riddell hardcup chinstrap; he previously used a Riddell SpeedFlex. pic.twitter.com/Y9JvZUzebE
— Helmet Stalker (@HelmetStalker) July 23, 2023
