Charvarius Ward embraces Guardian Cap in hopes of avoiding another concussion

After the 2025 season, Colts cornerback Charvarius Ward said that, if he gets another concussion, he’ll “probably retire.” To avoid that, he decided to try a Guardian Cap during the Week 1 game against the Ravens.

“I was scared to get knocked out again for real,” Ward said earlier this week, via James Boyd of The Athletic. “So I just put a Guardian Cap on. I warmed up with it, and it felt good . . . I just kept it on all game. So I might as well keep it for the season. It’s not gonna hurt me.”

The real question is whether it helps.

“I don’t know if it made a difference or not,” Ward said. “I got a headache right now. I don’t think it’s a concussion, but it is what it is. It’s football, man. You’re gonna get dinged up . . . I know what I signed up for.”

The full benefits of the Guardian Cap aren’t known. It helps with low-impact hits to the helmet. For bigger blows, will it make a difference?

One thing no helmet can do is prevent the brain from bouncing against the skull when the head quickly decelerates. Which is one way to get a concussion.

The NFL has a somewhat complicated relationship with the Guardian Cap. When the device was first adopted for use in practice, the league prevented players from wearing them during games. That position has changed; there are now one or two players in most games who can be seen wearing one.

The league is keenly aware of the aesthetics of the Guardian Cap. They’re bulky. They diminish the appearance of the helmet. Even the new model, which doesn’t require a cover for placement of logos and stripes, doesn’t look the same as the helmet.

As helmets improve, the argument is that they are as effective as prior technology plus a Guardian Cap. But, still, the Guardian Cap will always provide an additional layer of cushioning.

And it’s impossible to tell a player who wants to wear one that he can’t do it. Even if it doesn’t help that much. Even if it can create a false sense of security. Even if it doesn’t look great on TV. At this point, if it helps a player like Ward break the tie between continuing his career and not playing, it needs to be among the available pieces of protective equipment for a game that is inherently hazardous to the human brain.