Cowboys seen wearing protective, NFL mandated Guardian Caps at OTAs

If you saw pictures from the Dallas Cowboys OTAs and mandatory minicamp, you may have noticed some rather odd, puffy-looking additions to players’ helmets. They aren’t a fashion statement. They are a protective helmet covering called Guardian Caps.

In March, the NFL announced that it is mandatory for all offensive linemen, tight ends, defensive linemen, and linebackers to wear these helmet shells from the beginning of training camp until the second game of the preseason.

According to the league, that time period typically results in a higher frequency of concussions due to players competing for final roster spots and getting their first full-contact reps after a couple of months away from football. In fact, ESPN reports that the first two weeks of training camp typically produce around 30 concussions per year.

Looks like Ezekiel Elliott won’t be the only one sporting a new type of lid this offseason. Some players have started to wear them in earlier offseason programming to get used to the feel of the added protection. Here’s what Cowboys guard Zack Martin had to say about the Guardian Caps:

"“Yeah, the swag factor goes down quite a bit with those things on, but we’re all about safety…They wanted us to get a day or a couple days to kind of get used to them before we head out to Oxnard. It’s maybe a hair heavier, which is kind of annoying: getting everything unbuckled and then buckled back up when you have to. But it’s part of it. Everyone is doing it.”"

Cowboys players seen wearing newly mandated Guardian Caps to get used to the helmet covers

This mandate is part of the league’s initiative to reduce the number of yearly concussions. The effort has already made an impact, as league officials say concussion numbers have already dropped from 224 in 2019 to just 187 in 2021.

Created in 2010 by Guardian Sports, the manufacturer’s website claims that the dense material has energy-absorbing properties that help reduce the initial severity of the impact. The softly-padding shells go over a player’s helmet and are said to reduce the force from head contact by up to 20% when worn. The covers won an NFL-sponsored HeadHealth TECH Challenge back in 2017. Another bonus is that the Guardian Caps help to drop head heat by 15 to 20 degrees.

While only certain position groups are being mandated to wear the new covers for now, some teams are asking all players to wear them. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was thrilled at the opportunity for increased safety, and all of his players were seen wearing them at Pittsburgh’s mandatory practice on Tuesday.

Expect to see a lot more of these puffy covers in Oxnard.