Why Rams' 19 Xavier Smith has a different-looking helmet than his L.A. teammates originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Xavier Smith garnered some early attention on Sunday in Week 13.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Los Angeles Rams depth wide receiver had two quick catches against the Carolina Panthers.
That also brought his helmet into the spotlight.
Visually, it looks like Smith is wearing a much larger helmet than his teammates.
But that's not exactly what's happening.
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Why is Xavier Smith's helmet different?
It's not actually a different helmet. It's a cover on his helmet.
That's called a Guardian Cap.
It's a soft-shell cover that goes over the standard helmet. It's meant to reduce concussions and head injuries.
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Guardian Caps were first allowed to be worn on NFL practice fields in 2020.
The first time players could wear Guardian Caps in games was 2024.
Smith has just returned to the field from a concussion, so it makes sense that he'd try to avoid another one of those.
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