The NFL and NFLPA have permitted a brand new helmet particularly designed for quarterbacks to assist cut back concussions. Manufactured by Vicis, the helmet goals to scale back the severity of helmet-to-ground impacts, which account for about half of quarterback concussions. Based on NFL government Jeff Miller, the helmet carried out higher in laboratory testing than every other helmet the league has seen for these forms of impacts.
The Vicis Zero2 Matrix QB helmet includes a deformable outer shell, which implies that upon affect, it’ll dent in that location to soak up the affect. The distinctive design of the helmet permits engineers to optimize the affect mitigation in anyone space, offering higher safety for quarterbacks. The helmet reportedly carried out 7% higher than the most well-liked helmet worn by quarterbacks final season.
The approval of this new helmet comes after Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa suffered a concussion final season when his head slammed violently towards the turf throughout a Thursday night time sport towards Cincinnati. The Vicis Zero2 Matrix QB helmet may even be helpful for lowering concussions brought on by related impacts in different positions.
Though it’s unclear what number of quarterbacks will change to the brand new QB-specific helmet, the league and the gamers’ union will share info from the helmet research with groups so gamers could make knowledgeable choices on their helmet decisions. The one different position-specific helmet already permitted is the Vicis Zero2-R Trench for offensive and defensive linemen.
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Along with the approval of the brand new QB-specific helmet, the league and gamers’ union additionally launched the outcomes of the 2023 helmet laboratory testing examine. Seven helmets extremely really useful in 2020 had been downgraded to prohibited on account of the brand new testing, indicating a constructive step in the direction of safer helmets for all gamers.