Football is a violent, contact sport. There are many collisions between players during every play of a game and even in practice, and many of those collisions take place with the head and helmet initiating the contact. As such, it's important for the head and neck area to be protected from whiplash and brachial plexus injuries -- injuries that damage the nerves in the shoulder -- which are common in football. Shoulder pad collars help do just that.
Shock Absorption
Shoulder pad collars are contoured, meaning they are usually taller in the back and get shorter around the sides. This offers increased head and neck mobility while still giving added support to the head and neck. According to the website Guide 2 Football Equipment, the collars absorb the shock from impact at the sides and back of the helmet.
Cantilever Effect
According to the Guide 2 Football Equipment website, the shoulder pad collar produces a cantilever effect to help with protection. Cantilever effect describes a structure that carries a load over its entire surface or length. The shoulder pad collar, which extends above the bottom of the helmet, supports and absorbs the shock endured by the head and neck during collisions on the football field.
Technology
Shoulder pad collars are becoming more advanced with time. For example, sporting goods manufacturer Schutt produces an Air Flex Collar. This collar actually goes with Schutt's Air Flex shoulder pads, and the collar is designed with the same technology. It's made of a patented material that actually evaporates sweat and circulates warm air away from the body while bringing cool air in to keep body temperature low. So this particular collar serves a purpose other than simply protecting the neck.
Rolls
Shoulder pad rolls serve essentially the same purpose as a shoulder pad collar. The collar attaches differently and usually extends farther up the back of the neck than the roll, but both serve to keep the neck from extending too far backward during a collision. Collars typically attach using Velcro, snaps or even a vest, while rolls usually are tied into the shoulder pads. Rolls, while protecting much like a collar, use more of a fulcrum effect than a cantilever effect, meaning they provide support for the head and neck.
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