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Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Aaron Rodgers helmet: Steelers QB forced to switch following NFL ban
All offseason long, everyone wanted to know what was on Aaron Rodgers' mind. Now that he officially signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers and participated in mandatory minicamp, the focus has shifted to what is on his head. As Rodgers enters his 21st season in the league with his third team, he'll be doing so with some new headgear when he takes the field. Advertisement Rodgers has famously worn a Schutt helmet throughout his career, a look that had become synonymous with the four-time NFL MVP. After donning the Schutt Air XP Pro Q11 LTD model in 2024 with the New York Jets, the NFL banned that helmet earlier this offseason due to safety concerns. The quarterback is now left to seek some new protection for his head. Following his first minicamp practice on Tuesday, Rodgers made it clear he's not a fan. "I can't stand the helmet," Rodgers told reporters. "I've worn a Schutt for 20 years and somehow it finally didn't pass the safety standards." It appeared the quarterback elected to wear a Schutt F7 Pro model helmet on Tuesday, which passed the NFL's annual study. Advertisement NFL Network's Mike Garafolo noted that Rodgers' preferred helmet was "not recommended" last season, so players were still allowed to use it. Following the annual helmet performance and safety study, the NFL and the NFL Players Association banned seven additional models this offseason. They are: Riddell Foundation Riddell Speed Icon Riddell Speed Riddell Revolution Speed Classic Schutt Air XP Pro Q11 LTD Xenith Epic+ Xenith Epic It's not the first time Rodgers was forced to change his helmet. After beginning his career wearing a Brett Favre-style helmet, the quarterback switched following a pair of concussions. In 2019, Rodgers faced a similar situation when the NFL banned his preferred option. Then-Las Vegas Raiders' receiver Antonio Brown famously threatened to retire as a result of the decision but ultimately continued his career until 2021. Advertisement Rodgers seemed to strike a different chord that offseason, saying that it "isn't difficult at all" to make the change. 'The way they make helmets these days, they do a great job of molding it to your head – the fit is spectacular,' Rodgers said via Yahoo Sports. 'I can go from this helmet to a VICIS helmet to a different helmet, and as far as the fit is concerned, you don't really notice the difference at all. It fits really nicely.' That year, Rodgers was choosing between a Schutt or VICIS model helmet, the latter being a company in which he had invested in 2018, according to Forbes. It's unclear if the quarterback will opt for one of the company's nine helmets that tested well in the NFL's study or stick with a Schutt model again. Advertisement Luckily for him, there's plenty of time to find the right fit before kickoff in September. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Aaron Rodgers helmet: Steelers QB new model after NFL ban
NBC Sports
14-04-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
If Aaron Rodgers plays, he'll need a different helmet model
The football future for quarterback Aaron Rodgers remains to be determined. The future of his football helmet has been decided. His preferred model — the Schutt Air XP Pro Q11 LTD — has been banned. Matt Moret of has the list of the seven latest forbidden football helmets. They are the Riddell Foundation, the Riddell Speed Icon, the Riddell Speed, the Riddell Revolution Speed Classic, the Schutt Air XP Pro Q11 LTD, the Xenith Epic+, and the Xenith Epic. Via Andrew Vasquez of USA Today, Rodgers wears the Schutt Air XP Pro Q11 LTD. During the 2024 season, an item from pointed out that Rodgers, Joe Flacco, Thomas Morstead, and Nick Folk use that same model. Rodgers has been there, done that already. In 2019, he needed to find a new helmet after his prior choice was dropped. 'It's not difficult at all,' Rodgers said at the time. 'I was wearing the one like [Brett Favre] was wearing for so long. That was a little outdated, probably, and then I think around that time when the CBA got signed, they had some better regulations about the safety quality of the helmets, and I've just kind of been up to date for years. Last year, my helmet — because there's been such advancements in helmet safety — my helmet was in the not-as-safe category but anybody wearing that got one more year to find a new helmet. I knew coming in I was going to have to change.' So the banning of his helmet apparently won't factor in Rodgers's decision on whether to play in 2025. Sooner or later, we'll know what he's going to do. We think.
