The NFL won’t let players wear dark visors in their helmets just to look cool, requiring a medical reason.
Ravens running back Alex Collins said this week he got approval for his to combat a long-running issue with migraines.
“I have had this migraine problem for a while, like since high school,” Collins said, via Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. “Just throwing up before the games and having to play through it, . . . I am used to playing with them and dealing with it.”
Of course, not having the deal with that would obviously be preferable, and Collins said the visor has made a tangible difference for him.
“It’s like playing in the shade all the time,” Collins said. “What really activates the migraines is just, . . . When everyone looks at the sun, you have to put your hand over your eyes to block the sun, and you have to squint your eyebrows. For most people, that doesn’t bother them -- they’re just blocking the sun. But for me, that strain is what stimulates the migraine.”
“Just from straining my eyes trying to focus on something, and playing out there at that speed, just straining and trying so hard to block out the sun is when the migraines really come in. But, when I’m able to play with a relaxed face out there, just reading my keys and doing what I need to be doing without that strain on my eyes, then the migraines don’t happen.”
Perhaps that’s why he’s looking more relaxed on the field too. After getting cut by the Seahawks this preseason, he has found both a home and a starting job with the Ravens, leading them in rushing this season. He had 120 rushing yards last week against the Steelers, and has 491 yards from scrimmage and six touchdowns in his last five games.
