Players, coaches react to mandatory use of Guardian Caps

Updated Aug. 4, 2022 2:04 p.m. ET

Associated Press

Coaches and players react to the NFL competition committed mandating the use of Guardian Caps for NFL offensive and defensive linemen, linebackers and tight ends through the second preseason game:

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“We have all these issues with concussions and you see guys unfortunately later in life. Most guys know the danger, so if there’s a way ... to protect the head when you can, I think it’s a positive movement. ... We want guys to live long, happy lives and if it helps a little bit for wearing a Guardian helmet for a couple weeks, I think it’s worth it.” — Browns OG Joel Bitonio.

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“I think it’s goofy. Look at it. You saw (teammate Jason) Kelce working that bubble wrap, making a mockery of it. I don’t know. They’re trying it out for a couple of weeks then I think we’re taking it off. ... I don’t feel too awkward. It just looks stupid.” — Eagles OT Lane Johnson.

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“I mean, this is ugly. That’s it man, other than that I’m still getting used to it. But, you know, it’s cool just to help.” — Titans LB David Long Jr.

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“Everything we do, we keep the head out of it. Whether you are tackling or blocking or taking on a block we are trying to keep our head out of it. That is good technique. Putting these (Guardian Caps) on does not automatically make you a battering ram of any sort so we are still being very safe in how we teach, and the guys know that is how we operate.” — Browns coach Kevin Stefanski.

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“You hear them called mushroom heads. Especially in the shadows — the shadows can get pretty funny and really kind of exaggerate how big it is." — Panthers OG Austin Corbett.

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“You didn’t hear the clack of the helmets today. That’s typically what happens when you don’t have the Guardian Caps on. Inevitably incidental contact helmet will be hitting helmet. But with these Guardian Caps, what they’ll do is they’ll absorb some of the shock and take a lot of the shock off the players’ helmets and heads.” — Commanders head coach Ron Rivera.

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“I like it for training camp. When guys are like going crazy, you know what I mean? Like everybody has a different style of play. You never know if like one guy is like a head-butter or something. I don’t know how effective it is but we’re gonna have to roll with it anyways.” — Panthers TE Ian Thomas

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“It’s interesting. It’s my first time wearing one of those, but I think the NFL and the NFLPA have great initiatives when it comes to player safety. We appreciate that as players.” — Commanders TE Sammis Reyes.

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“We hear from (doctors) at the league. They present the information, they present all the injuries. And then, we try to go about figuring out ways to prevent them, to make our players as healthy as possible. And this was part of it. They said that the technology has changed. They presented it and collectively, we all said that was the right thing to do.” — Titans coach Mike Vrabel.

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