Why Packers TE Josh Whyle's helmet looks different than 81's Green Bay teammates

Billy Heyen

Why Packers TE Josh Whyle's helmet looks different than 81's Green Bay teammates image

Josh Whyle has begun to see more playing time in recent weeks for the Green Bay Packers.

But on Saturday night, something was different: his helmet.

Whyle had what appeared to be a much larger helmet on than his teammates.

But that's not exactly the case.

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Why is Josh Whyle's helmet different?

Whyle isn't actually wearing a different helmet.

He's actually wearing a protective cover over his regular helmet. It's called a Guardian Cap.

It's a soft-shell covering meant to protect against head injuries.

Guardian Caps were first allowed to be worn on NFL practice fields in 2020.

The first time players could wear Guardian Caps in games was 2024.

Whyle has just returned from a concussion, and this is the first time he's wearing a Guardian Cap as he tries to prevent further damage.

His teammates Romeo Doubs and Savion Williams both wear Guardian Caps, too.

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Editorial Team