Jalen Pitre has the chance to make a name for himself in these playoffs.
The Houston Texans safety who wears number 5 is a playmaker, and when the Texans open the postseason on Monday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers, it's safe to expect Pitre (and his big helmet) to be heavily involved.
That's right. Pitre has a helmet that looks larger than those on the rest of his teammates' heads.
It's not actually a bigger helmet, though. This is the scoop.
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Why does Texans' Jalen Pitre have a bigger helmet?
That's not actually a bigger helmet on Pitre's head. It's a Guardian Cap.
A Guardian Cap is a soft shell covering that goes over a standard helmet. It's intended to reduce 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.
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There are double-digit players who have made the Guardian Cap a part of their look in the 2025 NFL season.
Pitre became a convert partway through the year.
In Week 9, he was concussed, and he couldn't return until Week 13.
When Pitre re-took the field, he was wearing the Guardian Cap, and he has stuck with it since then.
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