Helmet choice credited for new low in NFL concussions
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Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
NFL medical officials are pointing to players choosing new helmet models as a reason concussions continue to decline.
Why it matters: The number of head injuries in football is the lowest it's been since tracking began in 2015, according to the league.
By the numbers: Diagnosed concussions are down 17% compared to last season.
What they're saying: NFL chief medical officer Allen Stills says helmets worn on field this season underwent the largest improvement since the 2021 season.
- "About 35% of players upgraded [to higher performing] helmets," Stills said at the NFL's health and safety press conference.
Those helmets include Riddell's Axiom, Xenith's Orbit Pro, VICIS' Zero2-R and LIGHT's Gladiator.
Zoom in: Based near San Diego, LIGHT uses technology to create helmets that are about half the weight of a typical NFL helmet while still meeting top safety standards.
- The company's newest model was rated No. 1 by an independent lab at Virginia Tech.
Zoom out: Although players usually stick to what's familiar, some have embraced the lightweight option.
- Both the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, who will face off in Super Bowl LIX, were among 30 teams to bring the helmets into their locker room this season.
The other side: Stills tells Axios that the NFL hasn't found a correlation between helmet weight and head injuries.
"A lighter helmet feels a lot better than a very heavy thing that your neck has to hold up," lead CBS color commentator Tony Romo tells Axios. The former Dallas Cowboys quarterback joined LIGHT Helmets' player advisory board last June.
- "When people running track want speed, they get a lighter shoe … they don't want some big, heavy, boot. It's no different in football. At the same time, it's got to be safe."
What's next: The league's health and safety team says it will continue examining concussion protocols before reconvening with other committees at the NFL Combine.
