There’s no such thing as a concussion-safe football helmet
Helmet makers, along with some coaches, athletic directors and youth sports administrators would like you to believe that there are football helmets available that will greatly reduce the risk of brain trauma and concussions.
To put it nicely, they’re misleading you. The reality is there’s very little a helmet can do to prevent brain trauma and concussions.
The reason for that is the brain is like Jell-O bouncing up against the walls of the skull after a blow to the head. It’s the whiplash effect that leads to concussions, not necessarily strikes to the head. That’s why players can receive concussions without even being hit in the head. A blow to the chest can send the brain splashing against the skull with almost as much force as a head-to-head shot.
There simply isn’t a way to design a helmet that will prevent the brain from bouncing up against the walls of the skull after contact. Helmets are great for preventing skull fractures but not concussions.