The National Football League (NFL) along with the NFL Players Association independent commissioned an independent study on helmet safety. Their findings reveal that modern helmets meet all national safety standards. Having stated that, they also noted that, “no helmet can prevent concussions,” and that more studies are necessary.

Umm, when you have a 4.4 second forty guy weighing 200+ pounds hitting a 240 pound fullback, head on, well, you know you ultimately are going to have a problem with a head injury.

NFL helmet to helmet

Not surprisingly, the impetus for this study was not the NFL owners wanting to protect their on the field investments, but, amazingly, this study appeared just three months after a congressional committee criticized the NFL’s research into equipment, particularly helmets, and questioned whether player safety is indeed being given top priority in an “infected system that needs to be cleaned up.”

I know, I know, it is just stunning that the NFL won’t initiate a study until there is the financial threat to the owners.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell stated that, “The study should be regarded as an initial step in learning more about the effectiveness of safety equipment. It is not a definitive statement on helmet performance.”

The concussion reducing, helmet safety study, began in 2009 and was coordinated by two independent labs. These safety labs conducted head impact analysis on each of the 16 commercially available NFL helmets. They focused on helmet location most likely to result in a head concussion.

The good news is that all 16 helmets met or exceeded national standards to protect players against traumatic head injuries. The bad news that with increasingly stronger, faster and bigger players, there still will be concussions. And the long term effect of multiple concussions in NFL players will most likely not be seen until long after their careers are over.

Read more about the NFL helmet safety at the NFL.com site.

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