NFL Leading with Helmet Rule pins a 15-yard penalty for any impermissible helmet use. A defensive player cannot lower his lead and hit the opponent.
Rule 12 Section 2 Article 10 has been added to the NFL Rulebook. The article ‘Impermissible Use of the Helmet’ was approved in the 2023 Annual League Meeting.
The league intends to make the playing field safer for the footballers and initiate change that protects players’ heads more than ever.
Jeff Miller, the NFL’s executive vice president of communication, public affairs, and policy, said, “You can’t use your helmet to hit somebody in the head.” He added, “The goal is to change the culture.”
NFL rule on leading with the helmet will penalize a loss of 15 yards if the offensive player lowers his head and hits the opponent.
The opposition will get an automatic first down if the offender is from the defense. The referee can eject that sportsperson from the field, considering the severity and seriousness of the foul.
But if the contact is incidental and is a conventional block, a personal foul won’t be called on that player.
What Is The Helmet To Helmet Rule In NFL?
NFL Helmet to Helmet contact rule considers using any helmet part while making contact with the opponent’s head or neck as a personal foul.
It also disallows the contact of a facemask or hard hat with the opposition player’s neck or head region. The forcible contact calls for a penalty of 15 yards for an offense or an automatic first down if it is carried out by a defender.
Impact on the opposition’s head or neck area with shoulder or forearm is also prohibited.
Leading with Helmet Rule NFL prohibits the use of any helmet parts to make forcible contact while tackling. It also restricts players from springing forward with one or both feet on the ground to take on a defenseless opponent.
The penalty is the same as the above.
Likewise, butting, ramming, or spearing the opponent athlete with a helmet also calls for punishment. It is considered unnecessary roughness.
Extreme methods can be adjudged flagrant by the officials. The guilty person will be disqualified from the match.
NFL One Helmet Rule
One helmet rule NFL dictated that athletes must sport the same headgear during practice and actual matches. It was implemented from 2013 to 2021.
The National Football League applied the one helmet policy to better the safety of sportspersons. This meant that a franchise owned one color helmet for nine years.
Another reason for the approval of single headgear regulation was to reduce the rate of concussions and other head-related injuries.
They withstood the thought that changing hard hats mid-season could compromise player safety. Likewise, allowing only one head of equipment meant more emphasis on creating one perfectly sound and safe equipment.
Maintaining and developing a better quality hard hat for field use was a unanimous decision.
Do NFL Quarterbacks Have Speakers In Their Helmets?
Yes, NFL Quarterbacks have speakers in their helmets. The use of helmet radio has been in practice since the 1994 season.
The Cleveland Browns were the first to use this communication tool in the 1956 preseason. Ohio inventors John Campbell and George Sarles approached Paul Brown, then head coach of the Browns, and used it in three games.
Browns Quarterback George Ratterman’s headgear was equipped with the headset.
According to the NFL rulebook, the Coach-to-Player system allows one player from a team to have headsets in their headgear while on the field. The selected players must be from each of the Offensive and Defensive units.
Each team can install three active radio receivers for offense and defense. Coaches must decide who to give the responsibility and choose the primary and backup users wisely, as it can turn the game upside down.
The idea of choosing a QB from the offense is a no-brainer, as he is the one who calls the play and commands the team. Likewise, a safety or middle linebacker is usually responsible for relaying the coach’s call on the field to the defensive team.
Green dot on helmets of NFL players means they have communication equipment on their hard hats. The radio offers one-way communication.
Those with the headset can hear the coach’s voice but cannot answer.
The on-field athlete can receive instruction from the coaching staff until the play clock hits the 15-second mark. Once it reaches the limit, the communication is automatically shut off and resumes on the next play clock.
So, the explanation must be enough for other queries, such as Do NFL Quarterbacks have radios in their helmets? Or Do NFL Quarterbacks wear headsets in their helmets?
NFL Helmet Design Changes 2023
NFL helmet design changes include the release of Quarterback-specific headgear. The NFL and NFLPA announced the VICIS ZERO2 MATRIX QB.
Per the 2023 Helmet Laboratory Testing Performance Results, it ranked third-best laboratory performance. It fared 7% better than what the signal callers wore in 2022.
The position-specific hard hats are the newest innovation in helmet technology. It helps create particular helmets based on each playing position.
The head impact for each position is different, and having a position-specific helmet helps deliver better protection. The on-field data on head injury and impact plays a significant role in testing and developing such headgear.
Likewise, VICIS ZERO2-R MATRIX ID TRENCH and VICIS ZERO2-R MATRIX are best-performing helmets. They were tested explicitly for Offensive Lineman and Defensive Lineman positions.
Other headgear with chart-busting results were:
- VICIS ZERO2-R
- VICIS ZERO2-R MATRIX ID
- Riddell SpeedFlex Precision Diamond
- Riddell SpeedFlex Precision
- Riddell Axiom
- Riddell SpeedFlex Diamond
- Xenith Shadow XR
- Riddell SpeedFlex True
- VICIS ZERO1
Banned NFL Helmets 2023
The 2023 Helmet Laboratory Testing Performance Results added a prohibition on the use of these hard hats:
- Schutt Air XP Pro Q10 VTD
- Schutt F7 VTD
- Schutt Air XP Pro Q11
- Schutt Vengeance Pro LTD
- Schutt F5
- Schutt F7
- Schutt Vengeance Z10 LTD
Other banned hard hats cover the following models:
- Schutt Air XP Pro Q11 LTD (788600)
- Riddell Foundation (R41179)
- Riddel Speed Icon (R41197)
- Xenith X2E+
- Riddell Speed Classic Icon (R41198)
- Schutt Air XP Pro Q10 VTD
- Schutt F7 VTD
- Schutt Air XP Pro Q11
- Schutt Vengeance Pro LTD
- Schutt F5
- Schutt F7
- Schutt Vengeance Z10 LTD
- RiddellSpeed
- Xenith Epic +
- Xenith Epic
- Riddell Revolution Speed Classic
- Schutt Vengeance VTD II
- Riddell Revolution
- Xenith X2E
- Riddell Revolution IQ
- Light LS1 Composite
- Light LS2
- Rawlings Impulse
- Rawlings Impulse+
- Rawlings Tachyon
- Rawling Quantum
- Rawling Quantum+
- SG Varsity
- SG 2.0
- Shutt Air XP
- Riddell VSR-4
- Schutt Air XP Pro
- Schutt Air Advantage
NFL New Helmets 2023
NFL new helmets 2023 were and will be sported by the following teams:
- Cleveland Browns: white alternate helmet
- Indianapolis Colts: black alternate helmet
- Tennesee Titans: Houston Oilers logo white headgear
- Detroit Lions: new blue 90th season special
- Denver Broncos: classic D logo snowcapped hard hat
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: retro ‘Bucco Bruce’ logo headgear
- Seattle Seahawks: silver retro emblem head equipment
- Minnesota Vikings: vintage purple with white horns
- Philadelphia Eagles: Kelly Green iconic headgear