Denny Medley-Imagn Images
The NFL released a new list of approved player helmets for the upcoming 2025 season on Friday following the league’s annual performance and safety testing. The study, conducted in association with the NFL Players Association, banned seven different helmet models and move three others to the “not recommended” category.
The results of the laboratory tests on the helmets were shared with NFL players, plus each team’s medical, training, coaching and equipment staffs, in a series of posters.
NFL
“Other factors, in addition to the ranking, should be considered by players when choosing a helmet, including fit, comfort, durability, player position and the player’s medical history,” the NFL stated in a press release.
“The laboratory test conditions are intended to represent potentially concussive head impacts in the NFL. The results of this study should not be extrapolated beyond the NFL, including to collegiate, high school or youth football.”
Three of the posters shared by the NFL were position-specific, “displaying the rankings for top generic (all-position) helmets and position-specific helmets based on additional impact conditions commonly experienced in those positions.”
NFL
The helmet models that were banned by the NFL for the 2025 season either performed poorly in the testing, were discontinued by the manufacturer, or were made by companies that don’t manufacture football helmets anymore.
Interestingly, according to Front Office Sports, all 10 of the models that were banned by the NFL this year “were deemed top performers by the league as recently as 2022.”
“The helmets are getting better, the technology is getting better, players are getting more choices, and they get to see how those helmets actually perform and what their risk profile is,” said NFL EVP Jeff Miller, who also pointed out that the league “saw the fewest number of concussions ever in the NFL last year.” (17% less than in the 2023 season.)