Nick Pollack, son of UGA legend, among players wearing Guardian Cap in games
North Oconee junior tight end and linebacker Nick Pollack stands out, not just for his play or striking stature, but for his helmet — or rather, his Guardian Cap.
The soft-shell helmet cover is commonly used among football players at the high school and college level in practice but is rarely seen in game action.
After a series of head injuries left Pollack sidelined, his coaches — one of which was is dad, David Pollack — urged him to keep it on for games.
“If I wear it in practice, I might as well wear it in a game, too — to stay as healthy as possible,” Nick said.
David Pollack, a former All-American defensive end for the Georgia Bulldogs, saw his own professional football career get cut short in 2008 because of a severe neck injury.
“I think anything you can do to make it safer, why the heck would you not do it, right?” he said.
The Guardian Cap, which aims to reduce impact in contact sports, debuted in 2010. In 2022, the NFL mandated Guardian Caps for all lineman, tight ends and linebackers during early training camp sessions. The mandate was later expanded to include all practices and all positions, excluding quarterbacks and specialists.
The effectiveness of the caps is often debated. Studies by a Stanford professor and the University of Wisconsin determined the soft-shell covers did not provide significant prevention of concussions.
In January, the NFL published its most recent injury data, saying the league had a significant reduction in concussions, in part because of “the largest safety improvement in helmets worn on field.”
David Pollack recognizes that the perception of rough contact — along with general wellness in football — has changed over the years. In his playing career, hard hits were just part of the job.
Nowadays, the culture surrounding safety and toughness has shifted.
“My son’s a physical, tough kid,” he said. “He plays the game the right way, and he plays the game hard. It doesn’t make him less of a man by wearing a Guardian Cap.”
When he opted to wear the helmet cover during games, Nick had support from his family, his coaches and, most important, his teammates.
“They all thought it was smart, because they want me on the field,” Nick said. “So, they’d rather keep my head protected, too.”
However, Nick is the only North Oconee player who sports that protective gear on Friday nights. Last year, Titans quarterback Harrison Faulkner wore the helmet cover for a game after a head injury but stopped, citing its unusual look.
Now coaching defensive line for the defending state champion North Oconee, David Pollack said the youth teams were equipped with the caps as well, a practice he carried into the Titans’ program.
“You can hear the difference in a practice, the difference in the hits,” he said. “They’re just more insulated. They’re just not as impactful, which is awesome.”
In December, the Atlanta Falcons, under a partnership with the NFL Foundation, announced it would give 50 Guardian Caps to teams across the state.
As of December 2024, about 13% of Georgia high school football teams were using the caps in practice.
The soft-shell helmet covers are not the only form of extra protection being adopted by high school football programs.
Milton announced recently it became the first high school program in the country to receive a chinstrap made by Guardian Sports designed to absorb impacts from facemask-to-facemask collisions.
“You’re not going to play this game forever,” David Pollack told his son. “You’re going to use your body forever. You’re going to use your mind forever. … You’ve got a long life ahead.”
The longevity-over-vanity mindset has encouraged a growing list of NFL players, such as Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs, Buffalo Bills safety Taylor Rapp and Atlanta Falcons linebacker JD Bertrand, to wear the gear in games.
“It’s no joke,” Nick said. “You’ve got to keep your head healthy, because that’s the most important thing when it comes to playing football.”
