Saints' Chris Olave explains why he wears a Guardian Cap, what it means for his family — SkimNews
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- Chris Olave wore a Guardian Cap during the Saints' 31-30 overtime loss to the Lions on September 13, while catching 10 passes for 182 yards — the second-most receiving yards by a Saint in a season opener.
- Olave cited four concussions in his first 39 NFL games and his children as the reason for wearing the cap, telling reporters he wants to "live regular life after football" and no longer cares how it looks.
- A study published this summer by The BMJ found that at least 25% of former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the degenerative brain disease linked to repeated head trauma.
- The Guardian Cap, a soft-shell helmet cover created in 2010, became required for certain positions during NFL preseason practices in 2022 and was made available for regular-season wear under player choice.
- Romeo Doubs, Alaric Jackson, and Jalen Pitre are among other players who have adopted the cap, with Pitre becoming the first-ever Guardian Cap Signature Athlete this past offseason.
- Guardian Cap-cited studies claim a 54% to 62% reduction in practice concussions among required wearers, with lab testing claiming protection doubles when both players involved in a collision wear them.
Why it matters: With a BMJ study finding at least 25% of deceased former NFL players had CTE and Olave's case — four concussions in just 39 games — being a high-profile example, star players are increasingly choosing the Guardian Cap voluntarily. The cap's adoption by marquee receivers like Olave and the first-ever signature-athlete deal for Pitre signal that head-protection choices are shifting from league mandate to individual player demand.
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