NFL Raises Standard for Helmet Performance as Five New Models Achieve Record-High Testing Results | NFL Football Operations (2024)

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NFL Raises Standard for Helmet Performance as Five New Models Achieve Record-High Testing Results April 9, 2024

The NFL and NFLPA announced the introduction of five new helmets for the 2024 season that achieved record-high testing results, reflecting a significant advancement in helmet safety innovation. Twelve new helmet models are eligible for players to wear for the 2024 season.

There will also be more position-specific helmets available to players, with eight new position-specific models introduced this season. These helmets are designed to mitigate impacts more likely to be sustained by individual positions. The designs of all helmet models are informed by game impact data that the league collects and shares with helmet manufacturers.

2024 will be the third season that position-specific helmets are available. Position-specific helmets were first available to offensive and defensive linemen in 2022 and quarterbacks in 2023.

“We're proud to see so many new helmets continue the rapid rate of improvement we've seen over the past decade," said Jeff Miller, NFL Executive Vice President overseeing Player Health and Safety. “What's more, the growing availability of position-specific helmets is a central part of our effort to provide players with the best possible protection for their position. Quarterbacks and linemen will have a range of tailored helmets available to them with more positions to come in the next couple of years."

The NFL, in collaboration with the NFLPA, conducts annual laboratory testing performed by jointly appointed biomechanical experts to evaluate which helmets best reduce head impact. Top-performing helmets were also evaluated using position-specific test methodologies for quarterbacks, offensive linemen and defensive linemen. These tests recreate the unique impacts that players at each position tend to experience on the field.

Six helmets were newly prohibited for the 2024 season. Each of these helmets ranked among the top-performing group when first introduced, which is a testament to how helmet performance has increased through the introduction of new, better performing helmets.

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