LA Rams Guardian head mattresses are back

The LA Rams head mattresses are back. No, I haven’t lost my mind. If you have noticed pictures that have been emerging from the LA Rams OTAs so far, you’ve no doubt fixated, at least temporarily, on the huge heads and the tiny little bodies of the LA Rams players, particularly if the picture features a running back or a small wide receiver.

What are those blue Leggo-my-Eggo waffle-like monstrosities that fit on top of the players’ helmets?

We featured the device during last year’s training camp. You see, that turtle-shell contraption is called a “Guardian Cap” and it’s made by an Atlanta-based firm of the same name.  Guardian also produces materials that are custom designed for high-impact uses for the military, soft playground, and assisted living home applications. The protective material on the NFL player’s helmet is designed to absorb up to 33 percent of the force of the player-to-player collision.

Not to mention saving the wear and tear on a quarterback’s thumb if his follow-through brings his hand crashing down on a player’s helmet.

They first appeared a year ago as safety gear first used by the rival San Francisco 49ers. After QB Matthew Stafford injured his hand, the LA Rams adopted them as well. While they may not make a lot of fashion sense, the belief and hope are that the widespread use of these devices throughout training camp can aid in minimizing, if not outright eliminating, player injuries that involve the brute force incurred in any helmet to helmet blows throughout training camp.

The eyesore helmets may hurt the eyes, but they are ensuring the health and safety of the LA Rams players. In the end, that’s all that truly matters.