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5/28/2026
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House OKs McNamara bill requiring soft shell helmet covers for high school football players
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STATE HOUSE — The House of Representatives today approved legislation introduced by Rep. Joseph M. McNamara that would require soft shell helmet covers for high school football players.
Known by the trade name Guardian Caps, helmet covers are large, soft-shelled pads worn over football helmets with the objective of reducing the risk of concussions and other head injuries during play. According to research by the National Football League, the cap can absorb at least 10% of the force of a hit, and 20% when it’s a collision between two players.
The bill (2026-H 7115) would mandate the use of a soft-shell helmet cover device that adds a padded, soft shell layer to the outside of a traditional football helmet, for students participating in Rhode Island Interscholastic League football. The legislation would allow a student, their parent or guardian to opt out from wearing these devices for practices or games.
“Concussions remain the most serious concern in football at all levels,” said Representative McNamara (D-Dist. 19, Warwick, Cranston), who chairs the House Education Committee. “Collisions on the gridiron that result in head injuries are extremely dangerous, and have even been fatal at the high school level. The NFL has found evidence that Guardian Caps help reduce concussions, and have begun to require players to wear them during regular season practices. Some have even started wearing them during regular season games. It is imperative that we protect our high school players.”
Pilgrim High School student Tre Roberson decided to focus on soft-shell helmet covers for his science project this year, which set off a chain of events that led him to testify in favor of McNamara’s bill in front of the House Education Committee.
Roberson tested the impact stress of the helmets with and without the covers, using watermelons in place of heads. McNamara, who was one of the science fair judges, was on hand to witness the results, when he asked Roberson to testify.
Roberson testified that as a football player, he will definitely be wearing one for the rest of his student football career.
“After looking at all this data and doing all this research for a couple of months now, I can say that Guardian Caps do reduce impact to the brain, and they should be a must for every football player to wear,” he told the committee. “The (New England) Patriots just signed a football player today named Romeo Doubs, who wears a Guardian Cap in every single game because he has had brain injuries before and he believes that Guardian Caps do help reduce it.”
McNamara, who was a standout football player at Pilgrim High School and was named to the Providence Journal’s All-State team during his senior year in 1968, was presented with the Distinguished American Award by the Emo DiNitto/Rhode Island Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 2024.
While the caps have become common in NFL practices, for the first time, players have the option to wear them in regular season games. New England Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers is one of the players who have agreed to do so.
The measure now moves to the Senate where similar legislation (2026-S 2213) has been introduced by Sen. Matthew L. LaMountain (D-Dist. 31, Warwick, Cranston).
For more information, contact:
Daniel Trafford, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401)222-1922
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