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Saints to Trial and Test LIGHT Gladiator Helmets

LIGHT Helmets are in the NFL now, and the Saints are one of 14 teams who will be the first to trial and test it.

John Hendrix

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The Saints are one of 14 teams who will be using a disruptive new technology for helmets this season. LIGHT Helmets announced availability of LIGHT Gladiator for NFL clubs on Thursday morning, being named a recommended helmet by the league. New Orleans will be one of the first teams to trial and test the product, which is expected to add extra emphasis on player safety.

A standard helmet can be anywhere from 4-6 pounds, and the LIGHT Gladiator comes in under that and features ditching weight where it counts while still prioritizing safety.

"We are proud and excited to have the Gladiator on the NFL field in 2023. This helmet can be configured to approximately 3 pounds and 13 ounces and that reduction in weight has paid dividends related to our other helmets in terms of player protection and performance," said Nick Esayian, CEO of LIGHT Helmets.

LIGHT Helmet Design
LIGHT Helmet Design

The NFL announced there were 149 concussions in the 2022 season, which was an 18 percent jump from the 126 in 2021. There have been discussions regarding heavier or larger helmets, but according to the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, the additional weight creates more force behind the hit and impact. The helmet also got a five-star rating from Virginia Tech.

Chris Olave, James Hurst, Andrus Peat, Bradley Roby were players who suffered concussions last season, and if you go back to 2021, Taysom Hill had a very concerning one against Washington that he said left a 45-minute memory gap.

It's not currently clear as to who exactly will be wearing the helmets this year, but it looks like this could be a major step forward for the league to at least try to help reduce concussions. Go here to learn more about LIGHT helmets, but be sure to check out all the info below.

Info Sheet on LIGHT
Info Sheet on LIGHT
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John Hendrix
JOHN HENDRIX

I officially started covering the New Orleans Saints & other NFL topics in 2011. My work has been featured on various outlets over the years. I worked closely with Skyhorse Publishing in Fall 2018 to update the book, Tales From the New Orleans Saints Sidelines, which filled in all Saints material from the 2013-2017 seasons. Prior to joining Saints News Network, I served as the Managing Editor of SB Nation's Canal Street Chronicles for 3.5 years, and before that with FanSided's Who Dat Dish as the Managing Editor for several years. I have also had experiences of being a freelance Saints reporter for The Sun Herald in Biloxi, MS and a contributing writer for WDSU, a local NBC TV station in New Orleans. I have appeared on a vast amount of TV and Radio shows, both nationally and locally. For tips, comments, or suggestions, please contact me at johnhendrix@saintsnews.net

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