Chris Olave is proving in the early going of the 2026 NFL season that he’s one of the best wide receivers in football.
He’s also doing it for the New Orleans Saints while having what looks like the biggest helmet on the team on his own head.
For those familiar with recent developments in football, you of course realize that that’s a Guardian Cap.
But for many seeing the look for the first time, it’s a fascinating twist on what a helmet usually looks like.
This is what you need to know about Olave’s head gear, which he began wearing for the first time this season.
Why is Chris Olave’s Helmet Bigger?
Olave’s helmet is bigger in a little bit of a twist, because it’s not actually about his helmet.
The helmet on Olave’s head is the same as all of his teammates. He just has a padded covering over it.
That padded covering is called a Guardian Cap.
What’s a Guardian Cap?
A Guardian Cap is a soft, protective, shell covering that goes over the regulation NFL helmet. It creates a sort of bulky look.
It is designed to help prevent head injuries. The idea is that it limits the overall damage that impact can do by softening the amount of force that actually goes onto the skull and brain. Given the potential impacts of CTE for NFL players, it’s been a big push in recent years.
Guardian Caps were first allowed to be worn on NFL practice fields in 2020, and a lot more players wear them in practice at all levels of football than you see once games begin.
The first time players could wear Guardian Caps in NFL games was 2024.
Last season, approximately 20 players wore a Guardian Cap at some point, with the most prominent being former Packers and now-Patriots receiver Romeo Doubs.
Why is Chris Olave Wearing a Guardian Cap?
Olave is wearing a Guardian Cap because he has a long and concerning history of head injuries.
He first sustained a recorded concussion when he was playing collegiately for Ohio State in 2020. He then got his first official concussion in the NFL with the Saints in 2022.
Olave had another concussion in 2023 and came back the following week.In 2024, he was concussed on Oct. 13, and then again on Nov. 3. He had to be taken off the field on a backboard after the November concussion, a scary scene.
Olave publicly admitted at the time that he considered retirement despite being just 24 years old. That’s how bad the concussion concern was, and still is.
This is what he said before Week 2 to explain in full why he has finally embraced the Guardian Cap this season:
“I know all the head injuries I’ve had in my career, so it was just a decision I had made. I got kids now, I want to be able to live the long game, it’s not all about football. I want to live regular life after I’m done with football, I love my kids to death. I don’t really care how it looks no more, I just gotta throw it on. Shoot, it did me good today, for sure.”
Olave is thinking about life on a larger scale than football. He decided the least he can do is put some added protection on his head.
Why is Chris Olave’s Helmet Bigger? What to Know About Guardian Cap for Saints WR