During the spring, the Pittsburgh Steelers wore protective Guardian Cap shells on their helmets. This decision was made even though they’re not required until training camp.
A video of Tomlin explaining why he wants his players to wear a protective guardian cap surfaced on Twitter.
Tomlin made it clear that he will do whatever it takes to keep his players as safe as possible.
“I’m morally obligated to keep this damn group safe. And I promise you, you’ll get that commitment from me,” Tomlin said. “Is it a pain in the neck? Whatever. But whatever it damn takes to keep the wheels turning, to keep you upright and getting better at playing this damn game.”
Though it’s not a huge surprise, NFL fans loved hearing how much Tomlin cares for his players.
The NFL passed a rule that requires offensive linemen, defensive linemen, tight ends and linebackers to wear Guardian Cap helmet shells from the beginning of training camp until the second preseason game.
The NFL’s chief medical officer, Dr. Allen Sills, said the Guardian Cap can “reduce the amount, the intensity and the timing of head contact.”
Hopefully, this ends up limiting the total amount of head injuries that are suffered during training camp.