- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Easton Today
By the People, for the People
NFL Approves New Guardian Cap for 2026 Season
The latest version of the protective headgear aims to enhance player safety.
Apr. 13, 2026 at 10:04am
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
The NFL's approval of a new, sleeker version of the Guardian Cap signals the league's continued focus on improving player safety through innovative protective equipment.Easton TodayThe NFL has approved a new version of the Guardian Cap, a protective headgear used by players, for the 2026 season. Guardian Sports COO Jake Hanson discussed the company's ongoing innovations to improve player safety in an interview with Chiefs Wire's Ed Easton Jr. The Guardian Cap NXT 2.0 features a sleeker design compared to the original version.
Why it matters
Player safety has been a major focus for the NFL in recent years, with the league implementing various measures to protect athletes from head injuries. The approval of the new Guardian Cap demonstrates the league's commitment to exploring innovative solutions to enhance player safety.
The details
Guardian Sports has been in business for 16 years, and the development of the Guardian Cap began in 2010. The company has a material science division that has worked on projects for the U.S. Air Force, BASF, and 3M. In 2010, a group of doctors approached the company's founders, who wanted to create a soft shell football cover to improve player safety.
- The Guardian Cap NXT 2.0 has been approved by the NFL for use during the 2026 season.
The players
Jake Hanson
The Chief Operating Officer of Guardian Sports, a company that has been developing protective headgear for football players.
Ed Easton Jr.
A reporter for Chiefs Wire who interviewed Jake Hanson about the new Guardian Cap.
What they’re saying
“Guardian Sports, we've been in business for 16 years now, and the development of the Guardian Cap actually begins all the way back in 2010, so we have a material science business. My family started the business. My parents founded both businesses. But we have a company called 'The Hanson Group' that does Material Science Solutions. So we make bulletproof glass for the US Air Force, self-sealing fuel tanks for BASF, and golf balls and bus bumpers for 3M, solving problems for these clients. Along that problem-solving journey, there was a group of doctors who approached my parents back in 2010 who wanted to make a soft shelf football cover.”
— Jake Hanson, Chief Operating Officer, Guardian Sports
What’s next
The new Guardian Cap NXT 2.0 will be used by players during the 2026 NFL season, with the league and teams closely monitoring its performance and impact on player safety.
The takeaway
The NFL's approval of the Guardian Cap NXT 2.0 demonstrates the league's ongoing commitment to exploring innovative solutions to enhance player safety. The new, sleeker design of the protective headgear aims to provide improved protection while also appealing to players.