The National Football League’s new list of approved player helmets for the upcoming 2025 season is seen by the league as “a seminal moment” in the push to reduce on-field concussions.
The league released the results of its annual helmet performance and safety study Friday, conducted with the NFL Players Association, and is banning seven additional models for next season. Three others have been moved to a “not recommended” category, but notably, all 10 models in question were deemed top performers by the league as recently as 2022.
Taking their place are a series of upgraded helmets that include more force absorption and additional customization for individual positions. Ten recommended helmet models now perform well enough that they are considered “Guardian Cap optional,” exempting players with those helmets from also using the caps during training camp and practice.
“The helmets are getting better, the technology is getting better, players are getting more choices, and they get to see how those helmets actually perform and what their risk profile is,” said NFL EVP Jeff Miller, who helps lead the league’s health and safety efforts.
The results arrive as the league saw during the 2024 season its lowest recorded number of concussions, with a 17% reduction from 2023. The NFL’s move last season to the dynamic kickoff, made permanent at last week’s annual league meeting, and the reduced speed of player impacts in that play is a significant factor in the reduction of concussions. So, too, is the accelerating pace of helmet technology, as well as the increasing acceptance of the use of Guardian Caps.
“While we’re thrilled that we saw the fewest number of concussions ever in the NFL last year, we believe that based on equipment alone, we can see an enhanced ability to protect players this season,” Miller said.
Miller acknowledged there is a sentiment within the NFL to pursue a more aggressive “mandate” and prohibit a greater number of helmet models, but the league is balancing that stance with that of the union and is more oriented to player choice.
Each of the NFL’s helmets for 2025, meanwhile, will also be part of a newly liberalized uniform program, boosting the frequency of throwback and alternate looks.
