The modern football helmet has evolved significantly over the decades. Through the1940s, players wore leather helmets to help cushion the blows they took to the head. However, as players got bigger, stronger and hit harder, football players needed more protection from the severity of the hits they took. As the helmet has evolved into a hard plastic shell, its use as a tackling weapon has brought about several suggestions that players should go back to leather helmets.
First Plastic Helmet
The initial version of the plastic helmet was invented by high school football coach John Riddell in 1939. The helmet gained wide acceptance in the early 1950s. In addition to being made of plastic, it had an interior web and a cushion of air to protect the player's head. Riddell eventually left coaching to go into the helmet manufacturing business. Today, 90 percent of the players in the NFL wear Riddell helmets.
Padded Helmets
Padding was added to the interior of the helmet in the early 1960s. Plastic foam pieces were placed around the jaw and ears to protect the players from hard hits. The pads around the jaw were to protect quarterbacks who were getting clubbed in the helmet by onrushing defensive linemen. The padding around the ears protected the head and skull during blocking and tackling.
Air-Inflated Helmet
The helmet was basically the same for all players through the mid-1970s. A player with a smaller head and a player with a larger head were basically treated the same way. As a result, some players' heads seemed to rattle around inside the helmet, while others were cramped inside theirs. To provide more protection and to help the helmets fit better, manufacturers used air-filled pads that could be adjusted to fit each player. Players and equipment managers could pump in or remove air from the pads in order to help get a snug and protective fit to the helmet.
Diagnostic Helmets
In order to help a football team's medical and coaching staff get a read on potential injuries, manufacturers invented a helmet that record head impact. With electronic devices inside the helmet connected to a diagnostic center, the medical staff can get an instant read on the length and severity of the blow suffered by the player. That would allow the team officials to take a player out of a game if it was warranted even if a player did not complain about the injury.
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