Patriots Players Benefit as NFL Approves Guardian Cap Upgrade

When the New England Patriots return to the field for their first action of the 2026 season, at least two of their players will be sporting an enhanced, extra layer of protection to their respective uniforms.

Guardian Sports has officially announced that the NFL has updated its 2026 Guardian Cap mandate, allowing all teams to choose between the Guardian Cap NXT and Guardian Cap NXT 2.0. At present, interior offensive lineman Jared Wilson and receiver Romeo Doubs are regular wearers of the protective headwear.

This extension, shared last week with clubs in conjunction with the annual health and safety summit, builds on the league’s successful use of Guardian Caps over the past four seasons. During that time, the NFL has mandated their use in contact practices across preseason, regular season, and postseason, expanded position requirements, and allowed players to wear Caps during games.

The Guardian Cap NXT, a soft-shell cover that retrofits all football helmets to help mitigate the damage from head injuries, made its Super Bowl debut while being worn by Wilson. As he took the field at Levi’s Stadium for Super Bowl LX against the Seattle Seahawks, the Patriots offensive lineman became the first player in NFL history to compete in the NFL’s championship game while wearing the protective equipment.

“We’re thrilled to see the next evolution of the Guardian Cap embraced by the NFL,” Guardian Sports Co-Founder & CEO Erin Hanson told Patriots On SI. “Guardian Sports is proud to continue on our mission to better protect athletes with a new aesthetic touch that has a classic helmet look.

“At Guardian, our mission has always been focused on athlete safety,” Hanson continued. “Seeing our technology on the field during the Super Bowl [with Jared Wilson] was an incredible honor and powerful moment for our team. It shows how far the conversation of player safety and protection has come and reinforces our mission to continue to support athletes at every level of the game.”

Romeo Doubs, Jared Wilson Remain Strong Supporters of Guardian Caps

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs (87) makes a catch against the Chicago Bears during their wild-card playoff football game Saturday, January 10, 2026, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. The Bears defeated the Packers 31-27. Wm. Glasheen /USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin. | Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Differentiating itself from the NXT, the NXT 2.0 features a sleeker surface that allows for advanced customization and team branding. The NXT 2.0 can be customized with decals so the cap visually resembles team helmets. This follows after dozens of NCAA athletes used customized 2.0s in games this past season.

While it remains unclear as to whether other Patriots players will join Wilson and Doubs in donning Guardian Caps this season, the club has a history which predates the arrival of both in New England

”Jared was actually the second Patriots player to wear a Cap in a game,” Hanson said, “The first was Jabrill Peppers in the 2024-2025 season. We don't work with NFL athletes directly. The teams purchase a Guardian Cap NXT for every athlete, and then it's the athlete's decision to wear, or not wear, a Cap in games.”

With over 20 NFL players from different teams wearing Guardian Caps in games during the 2025 season, along with its debut in Super Bowl LX, the Guardian Cap NXT 2.0 is expected to be adopted by players, along with Guardian’s FLEX chinstraps, for the upcoming 2026 season.

Doubs joined the Patriots after agreeing to four-year contract worth nearly $80 million during the NFL’s legal tampering period. Last season, Doubs compiled 55 catches for a career-high 724 and six touchdowns. The 25-year-old has compiled 2,424 yards in his career, and is set to become a notable target for quarterback Drake Maye.

The Patriots selected Wilson in the third round, with the 95th pick of the 2025 NFL draft. In his rookie season, Wilson was the primary starting left guard and played in 13 games. Despite intermittent injuries, as well as the occasional rookie struggles on the field, the Georgia product has emerged into a solid force within the Patriots' offensive line. In addition to protecting quarterback Drake Maye and the Pats’ skill position players, he is also taking measures to preserve his long-term health.

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