Rep. Sean Dougherty, D-Philadelphia, speaks before a community outreach event packing Thanksgiving dinners recently in Philadelphia. Dougherty this week issued a co-sponsorship memorandum for legislation he is drafting that would require the use of soft-shell covers over football helmets for high school football players in Pennsylvania.

A state lawmaker wants to require the use of soft-shell covers over football helmets for high school football players in Pennsylvania.

Rep. Sean Dougherty, D-Philadelphia, recently issued a co-sponsorship memorandum for legislation he is drafting that would essentially require the use of Guardian Caps, something football fans have seen some National Football League players wearing in pre-season workouts and in some regular season games. The 12-ounce padded shells are affixed to the top of a player’s helmet. The NFL has said studies indicate that when one player wears the protective gear, it results in at least a 10% reduction in severity of impact. That number increases to at least 20% if both players involved in a collision are wearing them. More than 300 college programs, 3,000 high school and 750 youth programs across the country use the caps, according to a 2024 Associated Press story.

“Concussions and other brain injuries continue to be one of the most frequent injuries for students playing football, and many still go unreported, leaving students vulnerable to preventable long-term effects,” Dougherty wrote in his memorandum. “Young athletes face repeated head impacts even during routine drills and, because their brains are still developing, those hits carry greater risks than they do for adults. Parents, coaches, and school staff have been clear: we need practical, reliable measures that reduce the force of those everyday collisions and protect the kids who play.”

The NFL has mandated the caps’ use at contact practices for most players since 2022. Quarterbacks, kickers and punters are the only position groups not required to wear the caps during practices that involve contact.

A lawmaker in West Virginia has introduced legislation that would create a committee to oversee the use of helmets and safety equipment, including the use of Guardian Caps on helmets during practices but not games. Legislation has also been introduced in Rhode Island to mandate head protective gear for high school football players. The New York State Public High School Athletic Association approved Guardian Caps as optional equipment for games this season.

“Protecting young athletes strengthens the health and stability of our communities. When students are safer on the field, they can continue participating in the programs that bring families together, shape school culture, and keep kids active,” Dougherty wrote. “Reducing avoidable head impacts helps long-term well-being, supports the athletic programs many Pennsylvanians care deeply about, and ensures that our schools are taking reasonable steps to protect the children entrusted to them.”

But, a University of Wisconsin-Madison study released in February found little impact on the rates of concussions for students wearing Guardian Caps during high school practices. Padded helmet covers did not reduce player concussions in high school football practices.

Researchers recommend data-backed interventions like safety training for coaches, extra jaw padding in helmets, employing athletic trainers and limiting contact in practices.

“Unfortunately, we found that using these devices may provide false reassurance to players and their parents who are hoping to reduce their kids’ risk of concussion,” said Dr. Erin Hammer, the study’s lead author and assistant professor of orthopedics and rehabilitation at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

A research team led by Hammer, who is also a sports medicine physician at UW Health, followed players from 41 Wisconsin high school teams during the 2023 football season. Individual teams decided who would wear the caps. Some of the players wore the Football Guardian Cap XT during practice and some never wore them. The caps were not worn during games.

Upon comparing concussion rates between the 1,188 players who did not wear Guardian Caps during practice and the 1,451 players who did, researchers found no statistical difference between the groups. Of the 64 concussions sustained during practice, 33 happened to players wearing Guardian Caps, and 31 to those in the group without caps.

The researchers advise that high school teams implement data-backed interventions to reduce sports-related head injury rates, such as employing athletic trainers and supporting rule changes to limit contact during practice. These interventions have been shown to reduce sports-related concussions by 64%. Additional risk reduction measures include training coaches in football safety, which halved concussion rates, and adding extra jaw padding to the helmets, which lowered rates by 31%.