What are Guardian Caps? What to know about NFL's concussion-reducing helmet

New helmet protection is sweeping the National Football League.

The NFL announced before the 2024 season that Guardian Caps could be worn by players during regular-season games, a first for the league.

Ahead of Week 8 that season, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa made headlines for saying he will not wear the protective gear after returning from another concussion. But a number of other players have started wearing them, and the Guardian Caps have a new, sleeker design for this season.

Here's what to know about Guardian Caps entering the 2026 NFL season:

What are Guardian Caps?

Guardian Caps are soft shell covers on top of helmets that provide extra cushioning and enhanced safety for head-to-head contact.

For 2026, the NFL has approved use of a new Guardian Cap — teams can choose between the Guardian Cap NXT and the Guardian Cap NXT 2.0. The new caps have an "external energy-absorbing layer designed to help reduce impact forces, no interference with helmet fit, vision or mobility and a new sleek surface for customization and team branding."

See the comparison here:

When did the NFL start using Guardian Caps?

The NFL started allowing Guardian Cap usage during the 2022 training camp before making it mandated for some position groups in 2023. That then rolled over to regular-season and postseason practices, and more positions have since been added to the mandate.

For 2026, Guardian Caps are mandatory for all contact practices for all positions except quarterbacks, kickers and punters. They are still optional for games, but at least 25 players wore them in 2025.

Are Guardian Caps required for NFL players?

Guardian Caps are required for all positional groups during practices, except for quarterbacks, kickers and punters. Wide receivers and defensive backs were the last position group added to the mandatory list for 2026 after other groups were required to wear it in prior years.

Guardian Caps remain optional for all players in the regular season.

Some players have started wearing a special protective covering over their helmet called the Guardian Cap. Here’s what it does.

Are Guardian Caps allowed during regular-season NFL games?

Yes, the NFL authorized their use during regular-season games entering the 2024 season.

After a year of data, the league found that the 2024 season saw the fewest concussions since tracking began nine years earlier. The league was more strict with checking on players in 2025, as there were a record 538 in-game concussion evaluations and 26 medical timeouts.

What are the impacts of wearing a Guardian Cap?

Guardian Caps are used to help lower the rate of head-contact injuries. The caps can reduce the force from head contact by 10% if one player is wearing it. That number rises to 20% if all players involved are wearing them, the NFL said when the caps debuted in 2022.

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, also known as CTE, can be prevented by lowering the risk of getting a concussion.