NFL Helmets: Logos, Makers, Safety Ratings and Alternate Rules

This guide covers NFL helmets: logos, makers, safety ratings and alternate helmet rules, with links to team logo history. It does not sell helmets, only Nike jerseys.

NFL helmet logos: the eight teams we cover

Every NFL helmet carries a team logo or decal, and many have changed over the years. The table lists the helmet logo for the eight teams whose logo history we have written.

Who makes NFL helmets

The NFL has no single official helmet supplier. After Riddell's exclusive deal ended following the 2013 season, the league said it would no longer have an official helmet sponsor, and players may wear any helmet that meets safety standards. The main brands are Riddell and Schutt, with VICIS as a newer maker; Schutt and VICIS share a parent company, Certor Sports. Those details come from reports dated 2013 to 2019 and 2025, so check the NFL's current list before you rely on them.

NFL helmet safety ratings for 2026

The NFL and NFLPA publish a helmet laboratory testing report each year. The 2026 results were published on April 10, 2026. Starting with the 2026 season, helmets outside the top-performing group are marked "Not Recommended" in yellow, and helmets that tested poorly, were discontinued or come from makers that no longer build helmets are prohibited on the field. The league adds that results should not be applied to college, high school or youth football, and that players should also weigh fit, comfort and durability.

In the 2025 results, a release from Certor Sports reported the Riddell Axiom 3D at the top overall and the VICIS ZERO2-R Matrix ID second, so the 2026 poster is the place to check current rankings.

Extra padding and the Guardian Cap

The extra padding on helmets that fans notice in practice is the Guardian Cap. The NFL's 2026 testing page says players at Guardian Cap-required positions wear one in practice, and that players in those positions may wear any of ten legacy tested models without the cap in practice. The page does not describe the cap's materials, so we leave that out.

Alternate helmets: what the rules say

Until 2022 the league limited teams to one helmet shell. The one-shell rule was dropped for 2022, so teams could add a second shell for alternate uniforms. A third helmet option was offered to teams redesigning for 2024 and opened to all teams for 2025. Alternate-color helmets can only be worn with an authorized optional uniform and must be worn in practice the week before the game. A separate policy lets teams wear alternate or throwback uniforms up to four times a season, and an alternate helmet with a home or road jersey does not count toward that limit.

NFL helmets and throwback jerseys

A helmet rarely stands alone: the helmet logo, color and stripes tell fans which era a uniform copies. Browse throwback jerseys for retro looks, read the NFL uniform history by decade for how helmets changed, and shop all NFL jerseys for the 32 teams. Nike makes the jerseys we sell; the helmets are not sold here.

New NFL helmets, helmet logos and padded helmets

Searches for NFL new helmets and new NFL football helmets lead to the 2026 table above, and NFL football helmet logos lead to the logo table. People also ask about the NFL padded helmet, which is the Guardian Cap worn over a helmet in practice, and the NFL big helmets look it creates.