American football is considered one of the most dangerous sports in the world. Minor injuries are a daily occurrence, and many players suffer from long-term effects after their career. But there is one piece of good news.

As the NFL announced, the teams recorded fewer concussions in the 2024 preseason than ever before, with “only” 44 cases being recorded. Cases have fluctuated erratically since records began in 2015, with a 24 percent decrease recorded this season.

Jeff Miller, NFL vice president for player health, explained the decrease as follows: “The reason for that change is certainly due to the change in regulations, the change in equipment, including the Guardian Cap, as well as a number of other efforts we’ve made over the years to bring the numbers down.”

Indeed, the Guardian Cap, a type of padded helmet cover introduced this season, seems to be making a big difference. Players with this extra protection were even 50 percent less likely to suffer a concussion.

The topic of player health and safety came up again in Week 2 after Dophins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered his fourth concussion in five years.