The NFL voted on two health and safety changes Tuesday.
They are mandating that all offensive lineman, tight ends, defensive linemen and linebackers practice while wearing Guardian Cap helmet shells from the beginning of training camp until the second preseason game.
The soft-shell helmet cover is engineered for impact reduction.
“Our aim is very clear: We want to reduce the amount, the intensity and the timing of head contact,” Dr. Allen Sills, the NFL’s chief medical officer, said. “That is a goal that we’ve stated. Our concussion numbers have gone down, but we think that’s not the full story. We recognize concussion as being on one end of the spectrum of brain injuries. We want to reduce avoidable head contact. We’ve been very public about that goal. The Guardian Cap is part of that effort.”
The NFL also is requiring teams use sensors during training camp practices and activities and provide the raw data from those sensors to the league. It is part of the league’s injury reduction efforts.