Cleveland linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah had a scare during the team’s season-opening loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
The Browns fourth-year linebacker finished the game with nine tackles, but one hit, in particular, stood out to him.
Owusu-Koramoah admitted to analyst Chris Easterling that the hit was enough to make him reconsider his stance and become a Browns pioneer of sorts.
On Sunday against Jacksonville, the linebacker became the first Cleveland athlete to wear a Guardian Cap during an NFL contest thanks to his scare the previous weekend. “Then I kind of felt it a little bit, so I’m like, ‘man, lemme try this Guardian Cap,'” Owusu-Koramoah said, adding the experience “was good though.”
The NFL opened its stance on players wearing the Guardian Cap during NFL contests as a means to prevent further head injuries.
Game-day helmet covers have fabric that matches the team’s helmet pattern precisely, a step up from the gray Guardian Caps the Browns wore during preseason practices.
Recent research has shown that individuals who wear the helmet covering are less susceptible to head injuries, reducing the number of concussions by more than 50 percent.
Nationally, the conversation has turned to wearing Guardian Caps after Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered his third concussion of his NFL career in a scary scene during last Thursday’s football contest.
Owusu-Koramoah denied that Tagovailoa’s hit was the reason he chose to try the helmet out during a contest.
“I mean, I actually like wearing it in practice,” Owusu-Koramoah said, noting “So I was just like, I’m going check it out, see what it is.”
It only took 10-12 YEARS for the NFL to finally RE-FOCUS on a product that had a proven record for reducing concusions due to helmet to helmet contact.
What JOK wore on his head yesterday was a modified PRO-CAP similar to what Mark Kelso used to save his career when he was faced with giving up the game due to concusions he suffered in the 1990s.
Browns LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah Explains Decision To Wear Guardian Cap
The Cleveland Browns standout linebacker was the first player to take advantage of the NFL's new rule Spencer German | 5 Hours Ago link
Since 2022 the NFL has implemented the use of guardian caps during training camps and the preseason to help reduce head injuries. This season though, the league took it a step further by allowing players to wear the caps in games if they so choose.
In Week 1 only five a players opted for wearing the caps league wide. A sixth player, in Cleveland Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah joined that group in Week 2. Following the Browns 18-13 win over the Jaguars, the 2021 second-round pick explained why he decided to wear the cap.
"Week 1 I kinda had like one hit that I kinda felt it a little bit," he said. "So I'm like, man, let me try this guardian cap and see what its [all] about. It felt good though. ... It was nice. It was smooth. I really didn't feel anything really on the hits. I'm very glad we had the opportunity to wear those things."
Owusu-Koramoah is officially the first Browns player to wear the protective cap in a game. NFL research suggests that the caps can absorb at least 10% of the force of hits a player may experience in a game. Amidst a scary concussion suffered by Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa in Week 2, the 24-year-old made it clear that incident didn't impact his decision.
The choice does seems to remain largely unpopular around the league, in part because of the caps sort of awkward appearance. JOK isn't necessarily trying to be some trailblazer, destined to de-stigmatize the practice though. In his eyes, it's simply a matter of preference.
"I don't really concern myself with the affairs of men," he said with a laugh. "But, again, to each his own. If it's been working for some guys, guys that don't have concussions – they don't have anything wrong with their process, then I wouldn't change the process."
The choice does seems to remain largely unpopular around the league, in part because of the caps sort of awkward appearance. JOK isn't necessarily trying to be some trailblazer, destined to de-stigmatize the practice though. In his eyes, it's simply a matter of preference.
"I don't really concern myself with the affairs of men," he said with a laugh. "But, again, to each his own. If it's been working for some guys, guys that don't have concussions – they don't have anything wrong with their process, then I wouldn't change the process."
I know I’d be wearing it. Yea, they look dorky, who cares. Somethings are far more Important than looking cool. Of course, that’s a wizened old guy hot take, being a young buck changes the equation. When you’re young you know you can pay a steep price in long term ways but you don’t really believe it, down at your core, that the same rules really apply to you. Especially when you’ve riden your exceptional body to such lofty heights. But pay they will. Good for him, hopefully more follow his lead.
"Team Chemistry No Match for Team Biology" (Onion Sports Headline)
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah had a little bit of a different look on Sunday. And it wasn't his pregame fit.
The fourth-year linebacker out of Notre Dame was wearing a Guardian Cap on his helmet against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the first time a Browns player has done so during a regular season game.
"That thing was nice, though," Owusu-Koramoah said after the Browns' 18-13 win over the Jaguars. "It was nice. It was smooth. I didn't really feel anything really on the hit side. I'm very glad that we had the opportunity to wear those things. It was good wearing it. I felt good."
The Guardian Cap is a padded shell that helps absorb contact and potentially minimize head injuries. The cap is covered in a fabric that looks like the team's helmet.
The ones Browns players have worn in practice are all the base gray color. Owusu-Koramoah's game version matched perfectly to the iconic color scheme of the typical helmet.
"We now have two years of data showing significant concussion reductions among players who wear Guardian Caps," Jeff Miller, NFL executive vice president overseeing player health and safety, said in a statement in April.
Erin Hanson, the founder and owner of the company that manufactures the helmet told the New York Times recently that when players use the cap in practice, the number of concussions went down more than 50 percent.
Josh Whyle of the Tennessee Titans wore a Guardian Cap during Week 1 against the Chicago Bears. While Owusu-Koramoah didn't wear one in the Browns' season-opening loss to the Dallas Cowboys, he acknowledged an event that occurred during the opener opened the door for him to choose to wear it.
"Yeah, Week 1 I had one hit," Owusu-Koramoah said. "Then I kind of felt it a little bit, so I'm like, man, lemme try this Guardian Cap and see what he's talking about. But it was good though."
The conversation has again ratcheted up about head injuries in the NFL, both specific to the Browns and NFL-wide. Cleveland cornerback Denzel Ward sustained the fifth documented concussion of his seven-year NFL career when the Nordonia High School and Ohio State product's head hit the ground during training camp, even though he was wearing a Guardian Cap at the time.
Nationally, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered another frightening concussion during a nationally-televised game last Thursday when he was tackled by Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin. He had previously sustained a similarly serious one two seasons ago during a Thursday Night Football game at the Cincinnati Bengals.
"Well, nah," Owusu-Koramoah said when asked if Tagovailoa's latest head injury led him to wear the Guardian Cap. "I mean, I actually like wearing it in practice. So I was just like, I'm going check it out, see what it is."
When Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered his latest concussion during last Thursday night's game against the Buffalo Bills, it spurred a world of "what-ifs."
What if he had not taken off from the pocket? What if he'd slid instead of going into Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin? What if it was his first concussion?
But there's a new question some are asking: What if Tagovailoa had been wearing a Guardian cap?
Tua Tagovailoa concussion update: Decision on injured reserve likely later this week
Guardian caps, now allowed in NFL regular-season games, are covers that include a soft layer of foam placed over a regular football helmet.
NFL players wore the caps developed by Guardian Sports during training camp this year. Two weeks into the regular season, six players have worn them in a game: Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Titans tight end Josh Whyle, Steelers guard James Daniels, Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers and tight end Kylen Granson and safety Rodney Thomas II of the Colts.
Guardian caps, now allowed in NFL regular-season games, are covers that include a soft layer of foam placed over a regular football helmet.
NFL players wore the caps developed by Guardian Sports during training camp this year. Two weeks into the regular season, six players have worn them in a game: Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Titans tight end Josh Whyle, Steelers guard James Daniels, Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers and tight end Kylen Granson and safety Rodney Thomas II of the Colts.
Preliminary studies have shown that wearing the caps during practice reduced concussions as much as 50 percent.
“We’ve got two years of data now showing significant concussion reductions in those players that wear Guardian Caps in the NFL,” said Allen Sills, Chief Medical Officer of the NFL, according to a testimony on Guardian Sports' website.
That said, Guardian Sports also has a disclaimer that warns against their product being lauded as a catch-all for concussion prevention.
“No helmet, practice apparatus or helmet pad can prevent or eliminate the risk of concussions or other serious head injuries while playing sports. Researchers have not reached an agreement on how the results of impact absorption tests relate to concussions.”
Would wearing one have prevented Tagovailoa's concussion?
Maybe, and maybe not, says Edward Benzel, who served as Emeritus Chair of Neurosurgery at the Cleveland Clinic.
"It can slide a little bit and it can deflect a blow that may have been of greater magnitude than if it was a direct hit as opposed to something that glanced off," Benzel said. He went on to explain that there exists a world, even if unlikely, in which that scenario "could be worse . . . because the glancing blow could add a rotational component."
Much of the research done on the Guardian caps is preliminary. While the NFL and Guardian Sports have argued that the results show the caps are leading to fewer concussions, other independent studies question the validity of that assertion.
More: New Miami Dolphins QB Tyler Huntley made Pro Bowl? How in the world did that ever happen?
"More data is still needed to determine if it prevents concussions," said Joseph Maroon, neurosurgeon for the Pittsburgh Steelers for 39 years, as well as a board-certified clinical professor of neurological surgery at the Pittsburgh Medical Center.
"Studies show it reduces the impact forces by 10% if one person collides and 20% if both are wearing."
Ultimately, Benzel was hesitant to suggest it would have made an impact had Tagovailoa been wearing one, suggesting that the Dolphins quarterback's history of head trauma and apparent susceptibility to concussions likely would have outweighed any small reduction in the magnitude of the contact.
Instrumented mouth guards and role in concussion education One of the ways that medical experts can learn more about the effects of Guardian caps and other instruments of head trauma management is an instrumented mouth guard - a mouth guard embedded with a sensor.
Developed in part by Benzel, these mouth guards help to collect data on the changes in motion that a body undergoes with respect to variables such as time, velocity and acceleration. These mouth guards are able to collect that data on athletes during contact because they're connected to the upper row of teeth connected directly to the skull.
The NFL employs an "eye in the sky" - an athletic trainer positioned in the press box who helps identify the need for a player to enter concussion protocol - but even then, these trainers often only identify the most egregious reactions to hits.
"Accumulation of trauma, particularly in a short time-frame like a football game, can most certainly add up and make the last hit, which may not have been as significant as others, profound in its result," Benzel said.
Using these mouth guards already had notable effects in both education and prevention when it comes to head trauma in sports.
"They have observed significant benefits in identifying the people who were at risk for injury, and then they were held out and found to have had injuries that wouldn't have been identified before," Benzel said. "That's huge, because the 'eye in the sky' can pick the gross ones out, but not the subtleties."
According to a report in the National Library of Medicine, a preliminary study of the Guardian caps' effectiveness in college football players using the instrumented mouth guards suggested the caps would not help prevent concussions.
The abstract of the study concludes: "These data suggested no difference in head kinematics data when GCs were worn. Therefore, GCs may not be effective in reducing the magnitude of head impacts experienced by NCAA Division I American football players."
What do the Dolphins have to say about Guardian caps? The Palm Beach Post's Hal Habib spoke with multiple Dolphins players at the beginning of August when many NFL players were donning the Guardian caps in preseason play after wearing them for much of training camp.
At the time, many weren't sold on wearing them when it came time to play in the regular season.
Has that changed because of the injury to Tagovailoa?
That remains to be seen. When asked Monday whether he would urge Tua to wear one if and when he returns to the field, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said he's open-minded to "absolutely everything" to help players.
"I think just in general, the second people are telling me directly how much this, that or the other would specifically benefit a particular individual; when that particular conversation comes up, I'll absolutely do whatever I can to follow up with things specific to individuals that could help them moving forward," McDaniel said. "I think those types of things are far away from me from my standpoint, but that hasn't necessarily come up."
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Tua Tagovailoa: Would a guardian cap have prevented his latest concussion?
Nice. JOK is one of my favourite Browns players. Glad to see him paving the way. If scientists can find a way to reduce concussions the NFL has to get in lock-step even if it looks a bit weird.
I agree, JOK is one of my favorites and I'm glad to see him take advantage of all the safety gear available..especially protecting his head against against concussion.
JOK mentioned something in the article about reconsidering his stance on the extra head gear and becoming a Browns pioneer as the first Browns player to wear the GCap. There are other members of the team that might benefit from wearing the head-gear too...Denzel Ward comes to mind. Hopefully JOK's experience will help influence others to add the extra layer of protection to their helmets.
He is an impressive man. Intelligent, thoughtful, articulate.
Seems like a guy you would like to have a conversation with. As a player I hold him in high regard.
I like that he has made a statement about the helmets. If they help. They should be used. There are lots of injuries in the NFL. Most are unavoidable.
It is a high impact contact sport. Bernie said long ago that many concussions come from when the head snaps back and hits the turf. Those helmets should help that.
Of course so does natural grass which IMO should be made on every field.
It is a high impact contact sport. Bernie said long ago that many concussions come from when the head snaps back and hits the turf. Those helmets should help that.
Hopefully more players will be influenced to put their safety/concussion concerns ahead of how their helmet might look.
I’m sorry but that thing is ridiculously stupid looking. Makes me think of Rick Moranis’ in Spaceballs. I get it, they have to protect themselves, but I won’t be able to watch anymore if those shields become the norm. They are just flat out, ridiculous looking. I couldn’t take the sport seriously any longer.
I’m sorry but that thing is ridiculously stupid looking. Makes me think of Rick Moranis’ in Spaceballs. I get it, they have to protect themselves, but I won’t be able to watch anymore if those shields become the norm. They are just flat out, ridiculous looking. I couldn’t take the sport seriously any longer.
The players are putting their health in jeopardy to entertain the fans who pay to see the game and spend their time watching.
I didn't mind it or actually notice it that much. Was watching the plays and not looking at his head.
If a player can extend their playing time by wearing a piece of equipment that keeps them in the game longer due to a safer environment, then I'm all in.
I still enjoy watching old films with leather helmets. I still think they are and were cool.
1. Good for him if he thinks it will help. 2. My 10 year old nephew plays tackle football, and he reminds me so much of JOK. Quick, avoids blocks, and just blows people up in the backfield. 3. Nephew is also a running back ala chubb. Gives the dead leg, can see so much more than most his age, makes smooth cuts, and can power people over.
It's fun watching JOK play, and it's fun watching my nephew play. (my nephew is adopted. He's not white, for those who want to call me a nazi, and racist.)
1. Good for him if he thinks it will help. 2. My 10 year old nephew plays tackle football, and he reminds me so much of JOK. Quick, avoids blocks, and just blows people up in the backfield. 3. Nephew is also a running back ala chubb. Gives the dead leg, can see so much more than most his age, makes smooth cuts, and can power people over.
It's fun watching JOK play, and it's fun watching my nephew play. (my nephew is adopted. He's not white, for those who want to call me a nazi, and racist.)
Hopefully the NFL continues to set a standard when it comes to helmet safety. Football at all levels will benefit from the research, improvement and development of football helmets.
The ProCap, developed by Bert Straus back in the 1980s and 90s pioneered the idea of adding a layer of padding to the outside of football helmets. Some within the NFL's manufacturing circles did not welcome Bert Straus's helmet ideas but it appears that the NFL is willing to revisiting the idea of slightly larger helmets to protect their investments.
The contract expenses of all players will continue to advance and finding common sense solutions to help protect a team's roster is simply good business.
Maybe someone will develop a device to protect players from knee injuries...it could happen.
It will take a lot of players over a long period of time in game speed action to provide empirical evidence as to exactly how effective the Guardian Cap is in preventing concussions. But I certainly think it's worth finding out.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
Exactly. Protecting the head is vital, as we all know. Joints, bones and ligaments are going to get wrecked in football. Can’t be helped. But the brain is a different story. Especially with the speed the game is played these days. if they can prevent brains from going to mush, that’s paramount.
I’m sorry but that thing is ridiculously stupid looking. Makes me think of Rick Moranis’ in Spaceballs. I get it, they have to protect themselves, but I won’t be able to watch anymore if those shields become the norm. They are just flat out, ridiculous looking. I couldn’t take the sport seriously any longer.
If the look of a re-designed helmet is enough to make you stop watching the entire sport, perhaps you weren't really a fan of the sport.
I see pics of LB's in the 1970's/'80's, and think those shoulder pads look as ridiculous af. Dudes had to request jerseys 2X their body size, just to manage the gear requirements.
Shoulder pads have evolved/gotten smaller/better. Helmets are growing. Deal with all of it, as the sport evolves- or don't.
It's still football. And fat heads or not, the game is being payed at a higher level than we've ever seen before.
I'll still be watching long after you've voluntarily started your boycott. I truly hope you won't miss the game, its players and fans.
Because the rest of us won't miss/remember you, once you're gone. What a ridiculous, superficial hill to die upon.
You spent the about 20 years watching "ridiculous looking" football (the Browns) and you were fine with that. They actually look like a real NFL team the past few years, however helmet covers is where you draw the line.
I'm not following the thought process.
I think the new Browns played more like Spaceballs the first 20 years
Any Browns fan:
Coach (insert any coach before Stef), what the heck were you thinking?
It will take a lot of players over a long period of time in game speed action to provide empirical evidence as to exactly how effective the Guardian Cap is in preventing concussions. But I certainly think it's worth finding out.
With the history of the ProCap, that (imo) is what the GuardianCap is patterned after, we already know some of the history of players who used a padded shell on the outside of their NFL helmets back in the 80s and 90s.
Some of the history you speak of has already been done and the results are a matter of record. The Guardian Cap might need some more research but in general, adding paddomg to the outside of football helmet has worked.
It will take a lot of players over a long period of time in game speed action to provide empirical evidence as to exactly how effective the Guardian Cap is in preventing concussions. But I certainly think it's worth finding out.
With the history of the ProCap, that (imo) is what the GuardianCap is patterned after, we already know some of the history of players who used a padded shell on the outside of their NFL helmets back in the 80s and 90s.
Some of the history you speak of has already been done and the results are a matter of record. The Guardian Cap might need some more research but in general, adding paddomg to the outside of football helmet has worked.
I'll stand by the fact that "how much it will help" will need many players wearing them over a long period of time. Nowhere did I state it wouldn't help. I think you're once again seeing what you want to see.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
I'll stand by the fact that "how much it will help" will need many players wearing them over a long period of time. Nowhere did I state it wouldn't help. I think you're once again seeing what you want to see.
Pit...the fact that I might have had bit more information on the subject of using padding on the outside of football helmets is not something anyone should be offended by. Reports were positive and the efforts to add padding to the outside of helmets sure appears to be a positive step forward.
It should also be noted that there are other examples where players have used padding on the outside of their football helmets to eliminate the threat of concussions. As a rookie Willie Lanier suffered a concussion his rookie year and missed several game. Lanier and his trainer devised a helmet that had a approx. an 8" wide strip of padding added to the outside of his helmet, front to back. Willie Lanier played 10 seasons wearing that helmet, winning several awards, including being named to the Hall of Fame and did not suffer another concussion.
Like I said, based on my experiences playing and observing the game for over 60 years...you really want to stop concussions due to helmet to helmet contact..?...you can only put so much padding on the INSIDE of a football helmet before you need to consider a different idea...
...such as an idea such as adding padding to the outside of football helmets...like Willie Lanier and his KC training staff did back in 1968....like Bert Straus and Mark Kelso did and Steve Wallace did and many more did...and now like those who have developed the Gladiator Cap have done.
Think about this...adding padding to the outside of football helmets..the results are based on only one player wearing such a device. If every player on the field wore a helmet with padding to the outside of their helmets...maybe the size of the helmet could be reduced while increasing the effectiveness of the helmets...
You're not going to "eliminate concussions". I certainly think it will lessen them. Every previous indication is that they will. I'm not sure what part of this isn't sinking in for you. You need a large amount of data to determine just how much they help reduce concussions. Will it be 20% less, 40% less, 60% less? More than 60%? You only get those answers by a large amount of players wearing them for a long period of time.
I'm not sure how much simpler I can make that for you.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
Well good, and now we have a garbage team and jok looking like an idiot on big head mode. Sounds perfect. I imagine that you’re one of the people that pays for season tickets to this crap. Kudos to you for supporting absolute garbage.
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