California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a new bill that legally guarantees parents of youth tackle football players the right to equip their children with soft-shell helmet add-ons, such as Guardian Caps, regardless of what individual leagues or school districts dictate.
The law, Assembly Bill 708 (AB 708), requires every youth tackle football league, organization, and coach in California to allow safety equipment, including soft-shell helmet add-ons.
Prior to the law, youth football leagues often cited voided warranties and lost safety certifications as the primary reasons to ban padded attachments. Because third-party add-ons could change the physical dynamics of the headwear, manufacturers could argue they were no longer liable for the gear’s performance.
The law, which becomes effective at the start of 2027, prohibits a manufacturer from voiding a helmet’s warranty or safety certification solely because a soft-shell cover was attached.
The law comes amid continued concerns about the links between playing football and chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, a degenerative brain disease caused by repetitive impacts to the head.
The bill cleared the California Legislature unanimously (39–0 in the Senate and 79–0 in the Assembly) with widespread backing from medical groups, including the California Medical Association, as well as California Youth Football and Pop Warner.
Certor Sport, the maker of Schutt and Vicis football helmets, openly supported the law, stating their gear remains fully warrantied when paired with a properly installed cover. In January 2025, Certor Sport formed a strategic alliance with Guardian Sports to co-develop safety technologies and ensure that helmet certifications remain valid when using soft-shell add-ons.
Conversely, Riddell, the dominant maker of football helmets, reportedly stood as the lone formal opponent to the bill during its Assembly process. Riddell reportedly argued the legislation would mandate and promote safety equipment, specifically soft-shell helmet add-ons like Guardian Caps, that they claimed is not supported by sufficient scientific research.
The NFL first officially endorsed and permitted the voluntary use of Guardian Caps in practice in 2020 and subsequently permitted their use in games at the start of the 2024 season. The NFL said its lab tests have shown the Guardian Cap cushions the impact of hits to the head by at least 9 percent and reports an approximately 50 percent reduction in concussions for players wearing the caps during practices.
Critics of the use of Guardian Caps in football cite independent research questioning the device’s ability to reduce concussions. Guardian Cap’s heavy NXT model used in the NFL and Division I college football also arguably offers more protection than the lighter and less-expensive XT model typically sold to youth and high school programs. Some critics also claim that that Guardian Caps give athletes a false sense of security without meaningfully reducing the risk of CTE.
Aesthetics and comfort are also behind some of the opposition. An anonymous survey of NFL players conducted by The Athletic in October 2024 found the wide majority against the use of Guardian Caps, with players viewing them as heavy, hot and unflattering.
Following passage of the law, Newsom said in a statement, “With the advent of new safety protocols and the increased research on the impacts of youth football, today’s legislation preserves Californian parents’ right to choose how their kids play the game. Football is America’s Game, and in California we are working hard to make sure it’s enjoyed by all.”
Assemblymember Avelino Valencia, who authored the bill, said, “Football is the best sport in the world. It is also one of the most physically demanding. As a former player and coach, I understand firsthand the physical toll that repetitive head impacts can have, particularly on our youngest athletes. Soft-shell helmet add-ons provide an additional layer of protection and are already used at the collegiate and professional levels, including the NFL. Parents should have the ability to choose this technology for their children, regardless of where they play, especially during these critical years of cognitive development.”
Image courtesy Guardian Caps
