New Football Helmets Offer Better Concussion Protection

UC researchers find latest helmet models mitigate up to 87% of impacts that can cause concussions

Published on Mar. 6, 2026

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According to new lab tests conducted at the University of Cincinnati, the latest generation of football helmets do a better job of protecting players from impacts that can cause concussions. The study examined 12 helmet models from two manufacturers, including new position-specific helmets for quarterbacks and linemen. The researchers found that the helmets mitigated between 64% and 87% of translational accelerations and 44% to 88% of rotational accelerations, depending on the model and impact type. However, the backs of the helmets fared worst in testing across models, and the position-specific helmets underperformed the standard models.

Why it matters

Concussions in youth sports, especially football, are a major public health concern, with as many as one in six middle and high school players reporting at least one concussion per year. Improving helmet technology is crucial to protecting young athletes from these potentially devastating brain injuries.

The details

UC College of Engineering and Applied Science doctoral student Sean Bucherl and his co-authors examined three helmets each from four popular models made by two manufacturers in Professor Eric Nauman's lab. They fitted the helmets onto a head and neck dummy and used an impulse hammer to deliver 14 different impact types, including blows at 90-degree and 45-degree angles. The researchers studied the helmets' ability to mitigate both translational and rotational accelerations, which are both important factors in concussion risk. They found that the latest versions of the Riddell SpeedFlex and Vicis Zero 2 helmets performed the best, but the position-specific Vicis helmets for linemen and quarterbacks underperformed the standard models.

  • The study was published in the Journal of Visualized Experiments on March 6, 2026.

The players

Sean Bucherl

A UC College of Engineering and Applied Science doctoral student who co-authored the study.

Eric Nauman

A professor in the UC College of Engineering and Applied Science who oversees the Human Injury Research and Regenerative Technologies Lab where the helmet testing was conducted.

Riddell SpeedFlex

A football helmet model that was found to be one of the best-performing in the study.

Vicis Zero 2

A football helmet model that was found to be one of the best-performing in the study.

Vicis Zero 2 Trench

A position-specific football helmet model for linemen that underperformed the standard Vicis Zero 2 model.

Vicis Zero 2 QB

A position-specific football helmet model for quarterbacks that underperformed the standard Vicis Zero 2 model.

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What they’re saying

“There's a dip in performance in the back of the helmet in every helmet we've tested.”

— Sean Bucherl, UC doctoral student (Mirage News)

“This kind of impact is most common when you get tackled and hit your head on the turf. It affects receivers the most because they go up to make a catch and can come down and hit the back of their head.”

— Eric Nauman, Professor (Mirage News)

“So how many hits is too many hits? It's difficult to quantify.”

— Sean Bucherl, UC doctoral student (Mirage News)

“In the past couple decades, younger and younger children are playing contact football. So every incremental improvement will help players.”

— Sean Bucherl, UC doctoral student (Mirage News)

“You have to do whatever you can to protect children.”

— Eric Nauman, Professor (Mirage News)

What’s next

The researchers plan to continue testing new helmet models and designs to further improve player safety, especially for young athletes.

The takeaway

This study demonstrates that the latest generation of football helmets are making meaningful progress in protecting players from concussions, but there is still room for improvement, especially in protecting the back of the head. Ongoing research and innovation in helmet technology is crucial to reducing the risk of traumatic brain injuries in contact sports.