The NFL is always in a contest battle trying to instill practices to help players stay safe on the field. This comes in a variety of ways and perhaps the biggest one is the helmets that players wear.
With so much contact during a game and players often leading with their heads when tackling, helmets have to be of the highest standard to protect them during games.
Now, with the annual testing of helmets being done by the NFLPA, the league has gone public with 12 new helmet models that players could wear for the 2024-25 season.
Per NFL345, five new helmet models have tested far better than any other helmet ever worn in the league.
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In the graph above, we can see the helmets that tested well and those that didn't.
Additionally, there are now six helmets that are prohibited for use during league games. With the addition of new helmets to try and combat the growing list of concussions over the last couple of seasons, this latest testing phase will surely be something that the league will be happy with.
NFL in constant battle helping players protect against concussions
With concussions now playing a big role in professional sports, the NFL has put practices in place to help give players the best possible protection.
The introduction of padded helmets for teams to use in training camp was the first big change. Now, players also have a certain amount of time where physical contact and tackling are allowed during preseason and regular season practices, often only having a set number of sessions a month (could be three or four).
The league is doing its best to keep players' health front of mind and with the new helmet testing being a significant breakthrough, the league is likely happy with how things stand.
Of course, even with new helmets that provide great protection, there is still no way to completely rule out hits to the head due to the nature of the league. But this feels like a positive step in the right direction with more helmets being available for players as the battle against concussions continues.