Aaron Rodgers helmet: Steelers QB forced to switch following NFL ban
As Rodgers enters his 21st season in the league with his third team, he'll be doing so with some new headgear when he takes the field.
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Rodgers has famously worn a Schutt helmet throughout his career, a look that had become synonymous with the four-time NFL MVP. After donning the Schutt Air XP Pro Q11 LTD model in 2024 with the New York Jets, the NFL banned that helmet earlier this offseason due to safety concerns.
The quarterback is now left to seek some new protection for his head. Following his first minicamp practice on Tuesday, Rodgers made it clear he's not a fan.
"I can't stand the helmet," Rodgers told reporters. "I've worn a Schutt for 20 years and somehow it finally didn't pass the safety standards."
It appeared the quarterback elected to wear a Schutt F7 Pro model helmet on Tuesday, which passed the NFL's annual study.
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NFL Network's Mike Garafolo noted that Rodgers' preferred helmet was "not recommended" last season, so players were still allowed to use it.
Following the annual helmet performance and safety study, the NFL and the NFL Players Association banned seven additional models this offseason. They are:
Riddell Foundation
Riddell Speed Icon
Riddell Speed
Riddell Revolution Speed Classic
Schutt Air XP Pro Q11 LTD
Xenith Epic+
Xenith Epic
It's not the first time Rodgers was forced to change his helmet. After beginning his career wearing a Brett Favre-style helmet, the quarterback switched following a pair of concussions.
In 2019, Rodgers faced a similar situation when the NFL banned his preferred option. Then-Las Vegas Raiders' receiver Antonio Brown famously threatened to retire as a result of the decision but ultimately continued his career until 2021.
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Rodgers seemed to strike a different chord that offseason, saying that it "isn't difficult at all" to make the change.
'The way they make helmets these days, they do a great job of molding it to your head – the fit is spectacular,' Rodgers said via Yahoo Sports. 'I can go from this helmet to a VICIS helmet to a different helmet, and as far as the fit is concerned, you don't really notice the difference at all. It fits really nicely.'
That year, Rodgers was choosing between a Schutt or VICIS model helmet, the latter being a company in which he had invested in 2018, according to Forbes.
It's unclear if the quarterback will opt for one of the company's nine helmets that tested well in the NFL's study or stick with a Schutt model again.
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Luckily for him, there's plenty of time to find the right fit before kickoff in September.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Aaron Rodgers helmet: Steelers QB new model after NFL ban
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