PHILADELPHIA — Darius Slay is always good for a laugh. The joyous veteran always has a sense of humor, looking to brighten up people’s day when he enters the room.
Never one to shy away from a good comment, Slay was asked about the guardian caps — which could be worn during games for the first time. The NFL permitted the players an option to wear the guardian caps during games this offseason, some of which may exercise that right.
Slay won’t be wearing them.
“Oh I can’t stand them. It impact my swag,” Slay laughed. “My game is part of my swag. If I ain’t looking the part, I can’t feel the part. They have me looking very ugly out there with that big ol’ cap on the head.”
If players choose to wear the guardian caps during games, the look will be interesting. When the guardian caps are on, the helmets resemble closer to the Great Gazoo than an actual NFL helmet. If the guardian caps are worn during a game, a “helmet pinney” with the team’s logo and colors will be placed around the top of the helmet.
The guardian caps have padded, soft-shell layers designed to reduce impact. The NFL has found evidence that this new kind of protective gear has reduced concussion numbers over the last two seasons. Reports cited by Guardian Sports indicate the severity of player impact is reduced by 10% with a guardian cap, while the severity is reduced by at least 20% if two players wearing guardian caps collide.
Are any Philadelphia Eagles players going to wear them? Slay is unsure, but the veteran cornerback had a fun warning to those that do.
“I hope not, because they show our swag will be ugly,” Slay laughed. “They are for our safety, so if they wear them for safety that’s cool. I’m sure I’ll clown them.”
