The Evolution of the Football Helmets

The Evolution of the Football Helmets

Football is a sport that was first developed in the United States. Football has been played in America for many years. The objective of the game is too score the most points in the following ways; kick a field goal, score a touchdown and kick the extra point or try and score for 2 points or even get a safety which means you tackle and opposing player in the opposite end zone. Football is becoming one of America's most popular sports to play and watch. With it becoming so popular people need to stay safe with the right equipment when they are on the field. In football, players use protection like pads and helmets to stay safe. Helmets have developed many times in the many years football has been played. The helmet is one of the most important pieces of equipment in the game itself. The helmet protects the head of being injured or damaged in any hit or tackle. It will be shown to the reader what the early helmets were like, the helmets used now days and a comparison of the early helmets and the late helmets.

First off, helmets started off as just leather head harnesses worn in the early 1900s to the 1940s (Gaffney, Andrew). The head harnesses were meant for the protecting the ears and due to the flaps over the ears many plays called on the field were screwed up because of the wrong signal. Those head harnesses didn't have to be worn but many players did wear them because they didn't have the best doctors for diagnosing concussions and other sorts of head trauma. In the 1920s to the 1930s helmets were being made from harder leather and some cushioning fabrics. In 1939 Riddell got the idea of making an all plastic helmet with web suspension(Gaffney, Andrew). This would have helped many football players with more protection but the idea was thrown out the window because of the War and plastic was not being produced as much as it was. It wasn't till after World War 2 that players were required to wear helmets. The first plastic helmets were not allowed in the NFL because of a former Rams player that broke 9 helmets in half only in one season. The facemask, a plastic that protects the eyes and face from any injury, was developed in the early 40s. The facemask was described from the players as being very efficient because the players were no longer getting their eyes clawed or hit. The first helmet made by the Riddell company was the RT-2 model in 1946 according to(NFL Football Helmet). Riddell didn't stop there he also made many more models of helmets each used in some point of time in the NFL. The chinstrap was also not always on the chin it was changed by Riddell from the Adams apple to the chin in the early 1940s. Along with the safety of the football helmets the helmet has also been changed in its style. Fred Gehrke was the first player to paint the logo of his team on his helmet. After doing such a thing many people decided to do what Gehrke did and paint their own team's logo.

Second off, helmets have changed in some many different ways now days from when they were first made. Helmets today now all needed to be worn for a player to participate in the game. The helmets have also changed from their flat tops into round tops because the power of the hit would go to one side or the other. The NFL has