Report: NFL and Oakley are working on face shields for football helmets next season

Yesterday the NFL and eyewear manufacturer, Oakley, announced a prototype for a face shield to be worn by players next season. The face shield fills in the gaps of the exposed areas of the facemask with clear plastic to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 from player to player. The shield has smaller ventilation holes near the side to allow for ventilation. There looks to also be room for a filter in this prototype. The NFL believes that this would not be a big step for many players who wear visors on the field already.

Yesterday the NFL and eyewear manufacturer, Oakley, announced a prototype for a face shield to be worn by players next season. The face shield fills in the gaps of the exposed areas of the facemask with clear plastic to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 from player to player. The shield has smaller ventilation holes near the side to allow for ventilation. There looks to also be room for a filter in this prototype. The NFL believes that this would not be a big step for many players who wear visors on the field already.

This technology could be transferred to college or high school football as all levels are trying to find ways to limit the spread of COVID-19. The face shield seems to be a solid solution to the spread of water droplets in a game, but it will be interesting to see how the NFL, NCAA, and high school levels handle other areas of concern about COVID-19 in games.