The NFL has prohibited players from wearing certain helmet models that did not perform well in safety testing, and one of those models is the one Tom Brady has worn for years. But Brady isn’t giving his helmet up easily.
Brady says he’s going to take advantage of the NFL’s grandfather policy that will allow players who wore the Riddell VSR-4 helmet in 2017 to wear it again in 2018. He says he likes the helmet, he’s comfortable with it, and doesn’t want to give it up.
“It’s a good thing. They’re trying to find helmets the players will wear that will absorb force better. I think that’s a positive,” Brady said, via ESPN. “I still wear a very old helmet, probably out of habit. You talk about behavioral changes are hard; I’ve tried new helmets and I’m like, ‘Doesn’t work, get that out of here!’ You just have to get comfortable with it.”
Although no new players will be allowed to use the helmet model, Brady is allowed to keep wearing it this season, and he will. For a player who’s conscious of his health, it’s a curious choice.