Game On: A Sneak Peek at the Latest Gear Trends in the NFL

NFL players no longer experience a true football offseason. They might not be fighting for the Super Bowl during the summer. But they have to keep their bodies fit all the time.

That means they must eat right, work out consistently, and do everything possible to be their best when the season starts. Now, you might not be in Major League. But if you love football, you might as well emulate your favorite NFL superstars.

Invest in the right training gear and equipment. What’s the best gear to buy? Start by looking for the best football pants, shoes and shirts. Then consider these NFL gear trends:

Customized Football Cleats

Customized football cleats have been a thing for a while. Odell Beckham, Jamal Adams, Deandre Hopkins, Julian Edelman and Russell Wilson absolutely love this trend. While OBJ personalizes his cleats to look cool, Wilson does it to support the V Cancer Foundation.

The NFL has been incredibly supportive of gear customization lately. It says that by personalizing their boots, footballers have a chance to express themselves on the field. They can also support their favorite causes.

Personalizing cleats has become such a popular trend that players in other Major Leagues are doing it. In fact, it has crossed over to college and high school football. That’s because personalizing cleats is actually cheap and makes you stand out from your opponents.

High-Tech Helmets

According to the NFL, 99% of its players have been wearing high-tech helmets for the past three seasons. The best part is that each player chooses their own helmet from a long list of high-performance products.

Modern helmets have lowered concussions by up to 25%, according to league officials. In fact, the NFL recorded the lowest number of head injuries in 2021. But that didn’t last long, unfortunately. Concussions jumped by 18% last year.

In light of that information, wearing a high-performance helmet is no longer an option. It’s the best way to protect you from head injuries in football. The league is working on creating personalized helmets for specific positions.

Precisely, it’s working on high-performance helmets for quarterbacks. This is after a revelation that there’s a rise in the number of head injuries targeting players in this position.

Lighter Shoulder Pads and Mouth Guards

Two decades ago, the average QB and WR had a shoulder pad that weighed eight to 10 pounds. Today, most football pads weigh less than five pounds. No, this isn’t necessarily due to better technology.

More and more NFL players are choosing light pads for agility and comfort reasons. Truth be told, shoulder pads for receivers, quarterbacks and other players have become better at providing comfort, dissipating heat, and shielding players from high-impact hits.

Likewise, mouthguards are stronger and more comfortable. That’s why nearly every player had a mouthguard despite it not being compulsory in the league. 

Interestingly, there are mouthguards for different positions. Manufacturers tend to reserve their most durable mouthguard for quarterbacks. But this means you can purchase a mouth guard meant for QBs even though you play in a different position.

Sleeker Jerseys

There are several reasons why NFL teams keep changing their jerseys. The obvious reason is to make more money. However, changing uniforms usually is a good way to introduce lighter, sleeker, and safer jerseys.

Some NFL teams personalize their jerseys with features that make them tougher. This increases agility among defense players. It also makes them harder to tackle now that you can’t really hold onto their jerseys.

NFL franchises do all the hard work of choosing quality uniforms for their players. But they also sell these jerseys to fans. If you play amateur football and want nothing but the best gear, buy original NFL jerseys. They’re a bit expensive, but they last for years.

Soccer Shin Guards

A hit to the shin is one of the most painful things you can experience as a football player. Some NFL players are solving this problem by buying shins originally designed for soccer players.

Nearly all soccer players in the MLS and Europe’s major leagues wear shin guards made by Nike, Puma, or Adidas. These guards tend to be light yet effective in cushioning pain if hit by an opponent.

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