Philadelphia Eagles centre Jason Kelce has taken things to a rather extreme level when it comes to his protection during training camp.
This year has the chance to be a big one for Jason Kelce, as it looks as if it might be his final year in the league, or at the very least his final year with the Philadelphia Eagles, having been with the organisation since he was drafted by them in 2011.
It looked as if he was contemplating hanging up his cleats this past offseason, but instead he signed a one-year deal with the team to stick it out for the 2022 season which will see him earn as much as $14m once all is said and done.Â
But beyond that, his future is very much in doubt, as the Eagles drafted centre Cam Jurgens in the 2nd round of the draft, perhaps with a view to groom and replace Kelce in 2023, something that heâs more than fine with after revealing he helped the organisation scout his successor.Â
But if this is going to be his final season, then he wants to do it right, and thatâs by making sure he is as safe as possible.
Helping with helmets
As you may have seen if youâve been looking at footage and pictures from this past offseason, players are wearing extra protection, similar to a large rugby scrum cap, on top of their regular helmets.
These are called âGuardian Capsâ and according to the league âIt's the latest example of the league's continued work to foster innovation that leads to better, safer protective equipment for playersâ, which given the leagueâs focus on reducing concussions and other head trauma in later life makes sense.
They state that âIn all 2022 preseason practices up until the second preseason game, all offensive linemen, defensive linemen, tight ends, and linebackers are required to wear the Guardian Cap, providing additional impact protection during the period when the league sees the greatest concentration of helmet impacts.â
But Kelce has decided to take things one step further when it comes to protecting his head.
Putting his own spin on it
One of the common sayings across sports these days is that players are âwrapped in bubble wrapâ compared to their older counterparts and that thereâs too much protection. Well Kelce has decided to take that literally, as he decided to add further protection by adding buble wrap on top of his Guardian Cap, in footage posted by Eagles reporter John Clark:
Now Kelce is one known for being a little bit eccentric, as his speech after winning the Super Bowl can attest to:
But when it comes to his safety, you canât really blame him for going a little bit over the top. Although whether or not the bubble wrap will make a difference in the grand scheme of things, weâre slightly sceptical.