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By Pat Evans
Oakley has collaborated with doctors and engineers from the NFL and NFL Players Association to develop the Oakley Mouth Shield. The shield uses the same materials as Oakley’s visors and despite airways and openings, it is designed to not allow the direct transmission of droplets – aiming to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus on the field.
The product is expected to be sent to all 32 NFL teams in the next week – but there is no existing mandate to wear the shield. Safety protocols regarding the coronavirus are currently in the works between the NFL and NFLPA.
Oakley became the NFL’s ‘preferred eyewear provider’ prior to the 2019 season, signing a four-year deal with the league. It’s also the exclusive brand partner for helmet visors – more than 700 NFL players wore the visor last season. The NFL partnership was also viewed as a way to market the brand’s lifestyle products to a large number of consumers.
Along with a variety of action sport, golf and motorsport athletes, Oakley also partners with NFL players Patrick Mahomes, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Derwin James Jr.
