Media Tip Sheet: The Protection Guardian Caps Provides to Football Players


September 10, 2024

For the first time this year, the NFL is giving players the option to wear Guardian Caps during regular season games.

In an effort to increase player health safety and prevent head injuries, the league first instituted Guardian Caps during training camp ahead of the 2022 season and then mandated it for practices the following year.

Guardian Caps have shown to reduce the force from head contact by 10 percent if one player is wearing it, and 20 percent if all players involved are wearing them.

Robert Turner is an assistant professor in the Department of Clinical Research and Leadership, with a secondary appointment in the Department of Neurology, at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

As a former professional football player, he studies psychosocial and neurocognitive risks and protective factors, accelerated cognitive aging and mild traumatic brain injury among former NCAA Division I and former NFL athletes.

If you would like to schedule an interview with Robert Turner, please contact Katelyn Deckelbaum, [email protected].

 

-GW-