The Evolution of Football Helmets

football helmets

Historically, the evolution of football helmets started in the late 18th century when Lafayette College created headgear with earpieces held together by harness straps. As time went on, new materials, such as leather and plastic, made helmets stronger and lighter. In 1939, the Riddell Company introduced the first plastic helmet, making the leather helmets obsolete in less than 10 years. Since then, football helmets have continued to improve in both design and safety, and today’s football helmets have the highest safety standards.

Various types of material are used to make football helmets, and the most common types of padding include nitrile and polyurethane foams. These materials are lightweight and highly elastic, and they help to distribute impact forces in a way that minimizes damage to the player’s head. Various innovations are being made to make helmets even safer, including the use of shock absorbers and air pockets. A relatively new addition to football helmets is a face mask. Originally, face masks were made of single bars of metal, leather, or plastic, but soon, modern versions included a visor made of a lightweight plastic material. In 2004, the NFL required new players to wear multibar face masks.

Riddell football helmets feature a patented cutout that bends during impacts. The design incorporates dual-stage shock absorbers, which react to both rotational and linear forces. The foams in Riddell helmets also deflect blows and protect the head from serious injury. Whether or not these innovations improve safety is unclear. However, the evolution of football helmets shows that technology is advancing every day.

The goal of a football helmet is to minimize the risk of a concussion, a situation where the brain is struck inside the skull. For this reason, the manufacturers of football helmets focus on protecting the skull above all else. By using protective materials and innovative design, football helmets can significantly reduce the risk of serious injury. The outer shell and foam fingers of football helmets are often made of a chemical compound, so they are extremely strong, but too much padding can hurt the neck.

While the shape and design of football helmets has changed dramatically since then, the history of the sport is rich with innovation. Initially, flannel helmets were used to protect players. Later, they were made of leather, and molded polycarbonate shells became the standard. These modern helmets are lightweight, but still offer protection against head injuries. The evolution of football helmets can be traced to a long history.

Modern football helmets have changed drastically since then, and today’s models are more advanced than ever before. Today’s helmets are based on anatomical knowledge of the skull and the brain. These protective devices are designed to protect the most vulnerable parts of the skull, including the intracranial contents. While the history of football helmets is rich in innovation, the goal of each helmet remains to protect the head. This is why NFL players prioritize safety when selecting the helmets they wear.