Saints to Trial and Test LIGHT Gladiator Helmets
The Saints are one of 14 teams who will be using a disruptive new technology for helmets this season. LIGHT Helmets announced availability of LIGHT Gladiator for NFL clubs on Thursday morning, being named a recommended helmet by the league. New Orleans will be one of the first teams to trial and test the product, which is expected to add extra emphasis on player safety.
A standard helmet can be anywhere from 4-6 pounds, and the LIGHT Gladiator comes in under that and features ditching weight where it counts while still prioritizing safety.
"We are proud and excited to have the Gladiator on the NFL field in 2023. This helmet can be configured to approximately 3 pounds and 13 ounces and that reduction in weight has paid dividends related to our other helmets in terms of player protection and performance," said Nick Esayian, CEO of LIGHT Helmets.
LIGHT Helmet Design
The NFL announced there were 149 concussions in the 2022 season, which was an 18 percent jump from the 126 in 2021. There have been discussions regarding heavier or larger helmets, but according to the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, the additional weight creates more force behind the hit and impact. The helmet also got a five-star rating from Virginia Tech.
Chris Olave, James Hurst, Andrus Peat, Bradley Roby were players who suffered concussions last season, and if you go back to 2021, Taysom Hill had a very concerning one against Washington that he said left a 45-minute memory gap.
It's not currently clear as to who exactly will be wearing the helmets this year, but it looks like this could be a major step forward for the league to at least try to help reduce concussions. Go here to learn more about LIGHT helmets, but be sure to check out all the info below.
Info Sheet on LIGHT
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