The thick white band at the rear base of an NFL helmet is known as the helmet padding and, up until now, has been a rather innocuous area of the helmet where the team name is normally displayed.
Well, that’s about to change.
According to a report via Pro Football Talk, a source with knowledge of the situation says that the NFL will allow players to display the names of those killed in officer-involved altercations on the helmet padding.
“The names of specific persons will be easy to see when TV cameras capture close-up images of players on the field,” Pro Football Talk reports. “The names will come from an approved list, with names like George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery among the possibilities.”
Like, the NBA, the NFL will permit social justice messaging on the playing surface this season. And, like the NBA, the NFL will now allow a form of social justice messaging on uniforms. Last week, the New Orleans Saints taped Jacob Blake’s name to their helmets during practice.
The NFL season begins September 10th when the Houston Texans take on the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
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