Titans tight end Josh Whyle will be sporting a Guardian Cap in the team's season opener.
The Tennessee Titans will kick off their 2024 campaign with a Week 1 matchup against the Chicago Bears. There are a lot of exciting developments surrounding this game for the Titans, such as their new-look offense, or how their defense will fare against Caleb Williams in his first NFL game. One of their players in tight end Josh Whyle will be sporting a new look when he takes the field, though.
The NFL has recently begun having players wear Guardian Caps over their helmets during training camp in an effort to limit concussions. This season, the league has allowed for players to wear these Guardian Caps over their helmets in regular season games if they want to, and Whyle announced ahead of Tennessee's first game of the season that he will be wearing the league's new cap over his helmet when he takes the field on Sunday.
“I can't mess around anymore. I want to stay healthy and if this is what it takes, then I'm all for it.” – Josh Whyle, ESPN
Titans' Josh Whyle embracing Guardian Cap movement
Whyle was only selected in the fifth-round of the 2023 NFL Draft last year, but he's already suffered a pair of concussions early on in his career, with the most recent one coming during training camp this year. That has led to Whyle making this big move, as he will be sporting the Guardian Cap in an effort to protect his head from more injuries.
There are only a few players who will be wearing Guardian Caps during the regular season, as only six players sported them during the preseason. Whyle will now be joining that small group as he looks to prevent himself from suffering any more head injuries, and it will be interesting to see how effective these caps are for the players who are now wearing them.
Whyle didn't do much in his rookie campaign for the Titans, as he hauled in nine passes for 94 yards and a touchdown over 11 games played. However, there will be a chance for him to earn a bigger role in his second year, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him emerge as a red zone threat given that he's 6'7. Staying on the field is the most important part of being a productive player, though, and with this move, Whyle is looking to do what he can to keep himself healthy for his sophomore campaign.
