The NFL has been all about making the game safer. New penalties designed to discourage dangerous hits and tackles have been implemented. A new kickoff designed to minimize high-speed impact and resulting injuries will debut this year.
And for players who choose, they will be allowed to wear during regular season games new helmets - guardian caps - designed to better protect their heads and reduce concussions.
However, at least according to some Dolphins players, it sounds like that might not be something that they're ready to adopt just yet.
Dolphins linebacker Jordyn Brooks sees them as too heavy and bulky, not well suited for the Florida heat.
“Do I have any plans to? No way. It’s like an extra ten pounds on your head. It makes it a lot hotter and heavier, so no, I wouldn’t do it.”
Brooks admitted he hasn't been a fan of wearing them in practice.
“No, not at all. Everybody’s got like – I call them UFO caps, honestly. (laughter) ”
Guard Rob Jones admitted to the usefulness of the helmets, but says he's not going to be using them in games either.
“Guardian caps – honestly, I like that the NFL is doing the rule that you’re able to wear them in games for a lot of guys who have had a lot of concussion stuff in college and everything and gives them an opportunity to do that. Me personally, I won’t wear them. I love to use them in training camp, it’s just protects you while you’re going out there. The o-line, d-line are all about physicality. We go out there and we’re always aggressive, but when game time comes, we’re just going out there to play football. And the guys who wear it, they want to stay safe. It’s not going to change a thing, just keep you a little bit safer. But for me personally, I won’t wear one.
“You really don’t feel a difference. Only difference you can kind of feel is hitting, like a linebacker against o-line. I get up there to the linebacker and make that little hit, it lets up a little bit. But I’ve just been playing football for a handful of years and I’ve never used a guardian cap in a game, so I’m not going to change it now.”
Tackle Terron Armstead was even more to the point about it.
"No, I'm not," Armstead said. “I’ve just been playing football a certain way for a long time. I’m not really getting into changing that up.”
Dolphins safety Elijah Campbell was caught off guard by the question regarding whether he'll be wearing them, unaware that was a possibility this year.
“Oh, we’re supposed to wear them during the game?” Campbell asked. "If that’s what you choose to do, that’s your safety. So if you’re looking out for your own safety, do that.”
As to whether he will don the cap during games this fall, Campbell is in the same camp Jones, Armstead, and Brooks.
“I won’t be wearing one, but I think it’s good for the game for protecting the players. With CTE and all the studies about it, I think it’s beneficial, for sure. I think the NFLPA and the League, they’re doing the right thing with trying to protect us. So like I said, I won’t be wearing it during the game, but I appreciate it during practice.
“It’s just not something – I don’t like the aesthetics of it. But I’ll leave it at that, I won’t be wearing it.”
We'll find out on September 7 when the Dolphins and Jaguars meet in Week One if any of the quartet's teammates will choose to wear the modified helmets.
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