CFL players ditching ‘safer helmets’

A helmet that was manufactured and introduced last year to provide added safety for football players is becoming just the opposite because it is flying off with regularity in Canadian Football League games this year upon contact to the shoulders or above. The incidents have become so common that some CFL players are switching to older helmets that do not provide as much protection but fit more snuggly on the head, sportsnet.ca has learned.

Five players from one Canadian Football League team changed helmets last week, which is “fairly dramatic” according to a source who is familiar with helmets and equipment. “I think you’re going to see more guys switch to an alternative helmet and get away from the so-called ‘safest one out there’ just to keep it on their head,” said the source, who asked that his name not be used.

He provided some interesting background on helmets and what has led to them flying off, claiming it is specifically because of a model that was introduced to the market last year and is being worn by many players from professional and college teams. It passed rigorous safety tests and the move towards this particular helmet increased from last year to this year.

“All off a sudden (teams) go to those helmets trying to keep the players safe. Next thing you know they’re all flying off guys’ head,” the source said. “Whether it’s the technique of tackling or whatever, if it happens up around the shoulders, they’re flying off.”

He said he noticed in a game between Winnipeg and Calgary last week nine incidents of helmets flying off. In one example, Calgary quarterback Henry Burris had his helmet fly off after Winnipeg’s Doug Brown tackled him. Burris was enraged and suggested to the officials that he had been facemasked, but replays showed Brown had grabbed him legally by the front of his shirt.

The source said traditional helmets that were deemed to be “concussion friendly” have been replaced by big, oversized ones with oversized interior components, so the head is sitting under a bunch of padding and on top of a big, oversized shell.

“They sit so far from your head now compared to the lower-profile ones – the old traditional style – that were more snug to your head,” he said. “One little hit up around the neck or hit to head, the centre of gravity will make a helmet roll off.

“No one likes to see it happen, but it is happening too frequent.”

The source said more incidents of helmets becoming dislodged will occur with the one that is causing the problem. He said there is “no question” of a player becoming seriously injured, in particular ball carriers, because of a dislodged helmet.

He added that ironically when the CFL has introduced measures to guard against concussions, this newer manufactured helmet in question designed to provide added safety is becoming easier dislodged and could cause a serious head injury.

While it was suggested in a broadcasted CFL game last week that chin straps were a cause because they are manufactured by a different company than the one producing helmets, the source said that is not all together true.

“I really don’t think it’s a chin strap issue,” he said.

However he said the chin straps in the particular helmet that is flying off is buckled up closer to the temple than on the jaw in the older modals.

He said that all chin straps are not the same and he knew of one team that used three different chin straps, all manufactured by the same company.

One veteran Canadian Football League player said he is curious why there is a rash of helmets flying off heads.

“It is peculiar,” he said. “You’re wondering whether it’s from contact, or whether it’s from chin straps not being done up or whether it’s just a poorly-designed helmet. It is a curious phenomenon that’s occurring. It looks like a bunch of Pez dispensers thrown out on the football field.”

In years past when helmets and safety weren’t such an issue, players didn’t routinely buckle up and that was the overwhelming reason helmets came off. That changed when the league issued a memo some four years ago to the teams demanding proper usage of chin straps by players or there would be penalties for repeated violations after warnings by the officials. The memo was sent out again a couple weeks ago when the helmet issue became widespread.

“We are watching this matter closely and have been proactive to try and address the issue,” CFL spokesperson Jamie Dykstra told sportsnet.ca. “We have sent an internal memo to all member clubs informing them of our concern and have asked them to notify their players that all chin straps must be properly fastened or they could be removed from the field of play (as per the rule book). We have also instructed our officials to remind players on the field if they do not have their chin strap buckled up. We have had discussions with the manufacturers and we are all closely monitoring the situation.”

The source who talked to sportsnet.ca said the particular model of helmet that is flying off repeatedly was deemed to be the safest using testing done by the National Operating Committee on Standards For Athletic Equipment. According to information on the NOCSAE site, the test standard involves mounting a football helmet on a synthetic head model and dropping it a total of 16 times onto a firm rubber pad, including two each from a height of 60 inches onto six locations at ambient temperatures. Two 60-inch drops onto the side are also conducted immediately after exposure of the helmet to 120 degrees Fahrenheit for four hours. Shock measurements are taken to determine if the helmet meets an established severity index for concussion tolerance and thereby meets the NOCSAE Football Helmet standard test. An equivalent to the 60-inch drop test would occur if a player running at 17.9 feet per second (12.2 mph) ran into a flat surface which stopped his head in less than one inch. Most players run faster than this, but very rarely would the head be stopped in such a short distance on the football field.

“Here this helmet is tested out to be the safest, but they’re higher incidents of those flying off guys’ heads,” the source said.

When asked why it is happening so frequently now, he replied: “I wish we all knew the answer to that one.”

He predicted that when the NFL and NCAA seasons begin, helmets will be flying off with the same regularity if players are wearing the particular prototype that has been deemed the safest.

“Everybody is trying to keep their players safe with these new helmets that test out well, unfortunately they don’t stay on players’ heads,” he said.

He said one of the reasons for the greater incidents of helmets flying off may be affected by skull caps players are using and/or braided hair styles.

A new prototype of spaceage football helmet that will hit the market in the fall that is sleeker and smaller in profile and the facemask attachment is different, which could be the answer to the current issue, but the big thing is it will sit a lot closer to the head.