Sports

Nico Iamaleava Switched To Same Helmet Style As Patrick Mahomes Before Seeing Headgear Crack

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Patrick Mahomes pictured next to a helmet worn by Nico Iamaleava.

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A scary moment was seen in Tennessee’s College Football Playoff loss against Ohio State on Saturday night. On the first offensive drive for the Volunteers, QB Nico Iamaleava’s helmet cracked after being tackled by a Buckeyes defender.

The passer swapped his helmet out on an ensuing possession, and he remained in the lineup for the remainder of the contest. Interestingly enough, it wasn’t the first time we’ve seen this headgear split.

Last season, Patrick Mahomes‘ helmet shattered after being hit by a Dolphins tackler in freezing Kansas City temperatures. The incident, as well as the decision to keep the signal caller in the game for the very next play, sparked controversy.

After the fact, the manufacturer, Certor Sports, released a statement on the issue. It said the protective headgear did its job in keeping Mahomes safe.

“At VICIS, athlete safety is our top priority. Extreme conditions like those experienced in Saturday evening’s NFL playoff game are bound to test the limits of even the highest performing products.

“While outer shell damage is not ideal, the ZERO2 helmet did its job of protecting Patrick Mahomes during a head-to-head impact in unprecedented cold temperatures.”

Nico Iamaleava made the switch to the VICIS helmet earlier this season ahead of a matchup against Georgia. That move was made after he’d suffered a head injury during a game vs. Mississippi State.

“It is meant to absorb contact,” said Certor Sports CMO Chad Hall. Iamaleava, unfortunately, saw a similar outcome to Mahomes with his cap cracking on Saturday.

That’s not to say the technology isn’t doing its job. The fact that both Mahomes and Iamaleava stayed in the game after taking vicious hits to the head would seemingly prove the helmet’s protective capabilities.

The key similarity in these cases, which Certor Sports noted in the first instance, is weather. Both contests saw freezing temperatures, with the Miami-Kansas City game being one of the coldest on record.

The Ohio State-Tennessee game was a bit warmer with temperatures sitting in the mid-20s at kickoff. The cracked headgear isn’t ideal, but the manufacturer believes the helmet is doing what it should in its protection against head injuries.