New NFL Quarterback Helmet | The first QB helmet approved to help reduce concussions

The AP has learned that the first quarterback helmet designed to help reduce concussions has been approved for use by the NFL and NFLPA.

The helmet, made by Vicis, reduces the severity of the helmet’s impacts on the ground, which league data says account for nearly half of quarterback concussions, including those suffered by Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa last season when he slammed his head violently on the turf during Thursday. Night game against Cincinnati.

“We’ve now analyzed with our engineers and with the players’ association more than 1,000 concussions on the field, we have a very good database of how those injuries occur,” NFL executive Jeff Miller told the Associated Press about the effects of the helmet on the ground. . “This helmet performs better in lab tests than any helmets we have ever seen for these types of impacts.”

The helmet performed 7% better than the most popular helmet worn by quarterbacks last season, the league said in a memo sent to executives Thursday.

Vicis CEO Jason Neubauer said the company began designing the Zero2 Matrix QB helmet in early 2022.

“The unique thing is that it has a deformable outer shell, which means that when you impact anywhere on that helmet, it will basically deform or deflect in that place to absorb the impact,” Neubauer said. “What that means for us, as designers or engineers, is that as we look to optimize them for different types of impacts, we are able to change unique locations to try to improve the mitigation of impact in any one area.”

It is not known how many quarterbacks will be switching to the new QB specific helmet. The League and the Players Association share information from helmet studies with teams so players can make informed decisions about helmet selection. The only other helmet intended for positions that has already been approved is the Vicis Zero2-R trench for offensive and defensive linemen.

The memo sent to the teams also includes the results of the 2023 Helmet Lab test study. Miller told the Associated Press that the seven helmets the league had highly recommended in 2020 have now been downgraded to banned as a result of the new tests.

“That’s a great sign,” Miller said. “Hopefully we can continue to drive that with either site-specific helmets designed for each site group or a generic all-purpose helmet to be able to say to players: ‘Work with us, be willing to change helmets because better and better products come online every year.'” “