The NFL today shared the annual helmet laboratory testing results conducted in collaboration with the NFLPA, highlighting new top-performing helmet models available to NFL players for the 2025 season. Notably, the laboratory testing results are supported by recent on-field data; players in top-performing helmets had a substantially lower rate of concussions than players wearing lesser-performing helmets.
Building on a record-setting number of new models (12) for the 2024 season, including five that tested better than any helmet ever worn in the league, the seven new helmets available to players this year all ranked in the Top-Performing category. Lesser-performing helmets have transitioned into the Not Recommended category on the 2025 poster. Helmets that are now in the Not Recommended group performed worse in laboratory testing and were found to have a nearly 30% higher concussion rate on-field than the highest-ranking helmets.1
"It is another major step forward for player safety that the laboratory testing of the best helmets equated with lower injury rates on-field. The top-ranked helmets are performing as predicted -- there is a significant decrease in concussion rates for the players wearing them," said Jeff Miller, NFL executive vice president overseeing player health and safety. "Our goal is to encourage all players to move into better-performing helmets for the 2025 season."
The 2024 season marked the largest safety improvement in helmets worn on-field since 2021, contributing to the fewest concussions in an NFL season on record. This was a 17% reduction compared to the 2023 season. As the 2025 season approaches, approximately 30% of players across the league are not wearing Top-Performing helmets, putting them at an increased risk of injury based on recent data.
"As helmet technology continues to improve, widespread adoption among players continues to make a difference," said NFL chief football administrative officer Dawn Aponte. "Equipment staff at the club level serve a critical role in helping players understand the current offerings and work with them to select an option that levels up protection and offers a great fit. We are working closely with the clubs to support their efforts to move players into better-performing helmets."
Many of the Not Recommended models have newer corresponding options in the Top-Performing group and nearly all top-ranked helmets for 2025 have an element of fit customization, utilizing innovative technology such as head scans or adjustable padding options. As helmet technology has continued to advance, the number of Guardian Cap Optional helmets has also increased (to 10), affording players additional safety options as they make their helmet choice; players in positions covered by the Guardian Cap requirement may instead choose to wear one of these helmets and forgo a Guardian Cap for practices.
Helmet posters with these results are prominently displayed in all club locker rooms. This season all helmets outside of the Top-Performing group (as indicated by green on the helmet poster) will be marked as Not Recommended (as indicated by yellow) and helmets that have been newly prohibited will continue to appear in red. The adjustments to the rankings are designed to help encourage adoption of better-performing models.
There are seven (7) newly prohibited helmets, previously in the Not Recommended group, that will not be available for on-field use in 2025. All these helmets ranked in the Top-Performing group as recently as 2022, demonstrating how quickly helmet performance has improved in only a few short years.
The technology behind two of this year's new models -- Light Apache Pro and Light Gladiator Thunder -- was developed by awardees of the NFL Helmet Challenge, a $3 million competition designed to accelerate helmet performance and safety for NFL players. Their inclusion in the top-performing group of this year's rankings reflects the league's commitment to working with a wide range of engineers and material scientists to generate new, highly effective approaches to helmet design.
The NFL, in collaboration with the NFLPA, annually conducts laboratory testing performed by jointly appointed biomechanical experts to evaluate which helmets best reduce head impact severity. Top-performing helmets were also evaluated using position-specific test methodologies for quarterbacks, offensive linemen and defensive linemen. These tests recreate the unique impacts players at each position tend to experience on the field. Last season, nearly 30% of players in positions for which there were position-specific offerings (OL, DL, QB) wore a position-specific helmet.
For the 2025 season, four total helmet posters with the results of the testing are in circulation: one for helmets available for use by players at all positions and three additional posters that reflect helmet performance in testing specific to quarterbacks, offensive linemen and defensive linemen.
