If you’ve followed training camp through two days, you’ve noticed some Eagles players are wearing these big, padded helmet covers. You can’t miss them. Imagine Dark Helmet from Spaceballs if he was competing for a spot on the 53-man roster:

Kelce went for an extra layer of protection with the bubble wrap, but yeah, the helmets are called “Guardian Caps” and they are a safety accessory. It’s basically a soft shell, impact-reducing helmet cover that just gives you another layer of protection when you’re out there during training camp.

“Just having fun,” Kelce told reporters after the session. “They say the Guardian Caps add 20% protection, so I figure the bubble wrap gave me another 2-3%. Just adding some more protective layers.

Wearing these caps is actually mandatory for some positions, via Mike Florio at Pro Football Talk:

“According to the NFL, the teams passed a resolution in March requiring the use of Guardian Caps through the second preseason game. The oversized outer layer of padding must be worn by all offensive linemen, defensive linemen, linebackers, and tight ends.

“Preseason is the part of the season with the greatest concentration of helmet impacts,” the league explained in a statement to PFT. “Wearing Guardian Cap results in at least a 10 percent reduction in severity of impact if one player is wearing it, and at least a 20 percent reduction in impact if two players in a collision are wearing it. This is, of course, just one piece of our larger efforts to reduce avoidable head impacts through better helmets, improved techniques and training regimens.””

If you’re in the trenches and banging around, those are the positions that are required to wear the caps. The Eagles didn’t do any hitting today, but when practice opens up a bit, or if you have an accidental collision, there’s your extra precaution right there.


“I think it’s goofy as shit. Look at it!” Lane Johnson said with a laugh. “I don’t feel too awkward (wearing it), it just looks stupid.”

“I wouldn’t say they’re aesthetically pleasing,” Dallas Goedert added. “I think we look a little goofy, but they’re there for a good reason. They did studies with them, and anything to keep us safer, why not do it? Obviously you only get one brain so you might as well keep it best you can. You don’t notice when it’s on. It doesn’t feel any more heavy. Maybe I take it off and I’ll run faster.”