INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis Colts tight end Kylen Granson wore a Guardian Cap over his helmet during the preseason and plans to continue doing so in the regular season to further protect his brain from long-term damage.
“At one point people thought seatbelts were f—ing stupid,” Granson told The Athletic on Thursday. “Why wouldn’t I (wear it)? Just because it looks silly? I feel like health and safety is more important than aesthetics.”
After Granson’s comments went viral, the four-year pro explained his position even further in an Instagram video Friday. Granson and hundreds of other NFL players began wearing Guardian Caps, essentially soft-shell pads attached to their helmets, when the NFL mandated certain position groups wear them in practice ahead of the 2022 season.
He’s liked the results so far, and now that the league will allow players to wear them in games, Granson believes it is a “no-brainer” for him to further protect his brain.
“There’s no amount of aesthetic that could outweigh what a TBI (traumatic brain injury) could do to you,” Granson said via Instagram. “And one of the more unknown things is that not only is it the big hits that you have to worry about, it’s the culmination of a bunch of little hits.”
He compared someone’s brain to Jell-O, explaining every time a football player takes a hit and their brain shakes like Jell-O, it may not seem like much in the moment but it could have a dire or even deadly effect down the line. Granson also noted hundreds of these little brain shakes can occur from OTAs and training camp in the offseason, a three-game preseason, a 17-game regular season and even more games if a team reaches the playoffs.
Granson, 26, suffered a concussion in a Week 6 matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars last year and was sidelined for the next two games.
However, Granson said he would still wear a Guardian Cap even if he hadn’t sustained a concussion. The tragic stories of Pro Football Hall of Famer Junior Seau and former New England Patriots tight end and convicted murderer Aaron Hernandez, who both died by suicide and were later diagnosed with CTE, serve as sobering reminders for Granson.
“I want to live forever,” Granson told The Athletic, partly joking. “I don’t want anyone to dig me up after I’m gone and check my brain.”
Granson elaborated even more on Instagram, saying he wants to be able to remember the first dance at his forthcoming wedding “30 years from now” and his future child’s first steps. But aside from his own wishes, he believes it’s his responsibility to set an example for the millions of children who look up to NFL players.
“I want to inspire kids to think that health and safety is also cool,” Granson said on Instagram. “You can do cool things out on the football field and still wear a Guardian Cap. I want my (future) children to wear helmets when they ride a bike. … Because there’s no amount of cool that would be worth walking into a hospital room and your child’s in a vegetative state because they weren’t wearing a helmet. Because they didn’t want to look dumb.”
Since 2022, the NFL reports Guardian Caps have resulted in a 50 percent decrease in concussions among players who’ve worn them in practice.
NFL executive vice president Jeff Miller told ESPN earlier this year in addition to Guardian Caps, “there are new helmets this year that provide as much — if not more — protection than a different helmet model paired with a Guardian Cap.”
Ultimately, it is still the player’s choice, and it certainly makes for a hot topic in NFL locker rooms. Some Colts players, who are supportive of Granson wearing a Guardian Cap, are vehemently against wearing one themselves because of how it looks. Granson is one of at least two Indianapolis players who will don the added head gear regardless, as safety Rodney Thomas II told The Athletic he plans to wear a Guardian Cap during the regular season, too.
Colts running back Jonathan Taylor is arguably the most prominent NFL player to wear a Guardian Cap during the preseason, though he was noncommittal about wearing it in the regular season.
Granson said via Instagram he loves football with all of his heart, but it’s not worth putting his life or his family’s life at risk because he’s afraid of being ridiculed or perceived as soft.
“It’s bigger than me. It’s bigger than just looking cool,” Granson said. “And if I can do the same things on the field, and be safe at the same time, why would I not want that? As a fan, why would you not want that? Some of your best players could play for longer and protect their health.”
Required reading
(Photo: Jeff Moreland / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)