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On Tuesday, the NFL and NFLPA announced that they have approved the first-ever position-specific helmet for the 2021.
As part of ongoing efforts to help players make informed choices about their protective equipment, the @NFL and @NFLPA released their seventh annual 2021 helmet laboratory testing performance results today.
— NFL345 (@NFL345) April 20, 2021
For more information: https://t.co/V2KZ4yJrAc pic.twitter.com/mpFDueMN5U
The VICIS Zero2-R Trench, designed specifically for offensive and defensive lineman, features “bumpers on their front and upper sides, where NFL engineering studies showed are common point of contact for lineman who absorb concussion-causing contact, according to Dr. Ann Good, a senior engineer at BioCore and a consultant to the NFL.”
Jeff Miller, the NFL’s executive vice president overseeing player health and safety, released the following statement on the new helmets:
“Players have more and better choices than ever before. Continued improvement in helmet design has raised the bar for top performing helmet models. The introduction of the first position-specific helmet is a promising development within the helmet industry to further customize helmets for the unique safety requirements of each position. The NFL and NFLPA have long supported critical innovation in helmet design through our research and innovation challenges and by providing necessary data to manufacturers, and we’re excited for that effort to yield tangible results.”
Other notes from the NFL’s 2021 helmet study include the expectation that quarterback-specific helmets are on the horizon. However, those will be pushed off as engineers receive additional information on the new helmet speaker technology that the league is adding this year, as well.
It should also be noted that three types of helmets will be prohibited following their test results in this year’s study.
Now for today’s links.
Chargers News:
See what Mel Kiper gave the Bolts in his latest three-round mock (Chargers Wire)
A positional overview of this year’s edge rushers (Chargers.com)
An overview of the Chargers safeties (L.A. Football Network)
Austin Ekeler shares memories about Philip Rivers’ kids (Bolt Beat)
NFL News:
NFL released the results from their helmet studies (NFL.com)
The top-30 prospects by draft score (NFL.com)
The Steelers gave Mike Tomlin a three-year extension (ESPN)
Jordan Reed is retiring from the NFL (ESPN)
Patrick Mahomes believes there’s still so much he can improve on (Pro Football Talk)
Pete Prisco’s latest mock draft (CBS Sports)