Eagles quarterback Michael Vick appears to be doing everything in his power to get back on the field Sunday against the Giants, a week after suffering a concussion in a loss to the Falcons. And that includes changing his equipment.
Sal Paolantonio reported on ESPN that as Vick prepares to play against the Giants, he is having his helmet re-fitted by Unequal Technology, which will use kevlar to disburse the effects of a blow to the head. It’s the first time this technology has been used for a football helmet, although it has previously been used for hockey helmets and in the military.
According to Paolantonio, the helmet Vick is having re-fitted is a Riddell helmet. Prior to Week One, Vick was reportedly shifting from a Riddell helmet to a Schutt helmet. We’re actually not sure what brand of helmet Vick has been wearing this season: Although most players have a “Riddell” label above their facemasks, the helmet Vick wore when he suffered the concussion against the Falcons had no label.
Meanwhile, Alex Marvez of FOXSports.com reports that Vick wasn’t wearing a mouth guard when he suffered the concussion (and a lacerated tongue) on Sunday. There’s some evidence that the use of mouth guards helps protect against concussions, but players aren’t required to wear them -- something that has been a point of contention as the NFL has considered efforts to protect players from concussions, but the players’ union has resisted forcing players to wear protective padding that they don’t want to wear.
All indications are that Vick badly wants to play on Sunday. But it ultimately will be up to the doctors, not Vick, to decide.
