Late in the game against the Green Bay Packers on September 15, Indianapolis Colts tight end Kylen Granson caught a short pass over the middle of the field, advanced forward, and braced for contact by lowering his body. His helmet hit the face mask of linebacker Quay Walker, and then the back of it struck the ground as Walker brought him down. After this 9-yard gain, Granson stood up, handed the football to an official, and returned to the line of scrimmage for the next play.
This otherwise routine play was notable primarily because it marked Granson’s first reception of the 2024 NFL season and because of what he was wearing during the impact: a 12-ounce, foam-padded, protective helmet cover known as a Guardian Cap.
These soft protective shells, already required for most positions during NFL preseason practices as well as in regular-season and postseason practices involving contact, were approved by the league for optional game use. The decision followed a reported 50 percent reduction in concussions during training camps since their official introduction in 2022. As of the first six weeks of this fall’s football season, only 10 NFL players had worn them in games, according to a league representative. For Granson, the choice was straightforward after trying the Guardian Cap in preseason games, where it was covered by a 1-ounce pinnie featuring the Colts logo to mimic the helmet’s design underneath.
Granson, 26, mentioned in an interview with WIRED before facing the Packers in week two that he was surprised the cap did not affect his performance, stating, “I thought, even if it looks kind of silly, it’s worth it.”
The unusual appearance of the Guardian Caps, often perceived as puffy and round, has not gone unnoticed. Guardian Sports, the company behind the product, even has staff T-shirts that humorously modify the slogan LOOK GOOD, FEEL GOOD, PLAY GOOD by crossing out LOOK GOOD. Erin Hanson, who co-founded Guardian Sports with her husband Lee Hanson, acknowledged the humorous descriptions like “condom caps” and “mushroom heads,” and stated, “We just laugh, because we agree.”
Despite the unconventional look, Guardian Caps are now permitted in NFL games, highlighting their tested utility and the urgency of addressing safety in football. The link between repeated head impacts and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) has become increasingly evident. This has expedited efforts to find solutions, with the NFL funding research and the football headgear industry rapidly innovating.
At the forefront of this movement on football’s largest platform is a small family-operated business, which, less than a decade and a half ago, struggled to gain credibility beyond being regarded as a novelty.
