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NFL Slimetime: Football Player Safety

Football’s all about fun, but it’s just as important to be safe and follow the rules so everyone stays healthy and in the game!

Just like SpongeBob and Sandy in their karate gear, football players need to wear lots of important equipment to ensure safe play. This includes helmets (with facemasks, chinstraps, chin guards, and sometimes visors), mouthguards, shoulder pads, and cleats.

Additionally, some players wear protective gloves, thigh/knee/elbow pads, back plates, neck rolls, and knee braces. The NFL is also now using Guardian Caps, padded helmet covers that help reduce injury risk!

Los Angeles Rams offensive and defensive lineman run a drill while wearing Guardian Caps to help reduce risk of injury

Protective equipment helps lower the risk of injury in a sport as fierce as football. So if you’re going to play, make sure you do it safely and with all the proper equipment!

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams stretches his legs during a pre-game warm up.

While playing football means an intense training and practice schedule, it also means intense training and practice guidelines. Before starting to play, football players must stretch and warm up, which lowers the risk of muscle and joint injuries while also preparing the body for physical activity.

Detroit Lions tight end Brock Wright drinks water from a squeeze bottle in between plays to hydrate.

Speaking of preparing the body, let’s talk about football diets! There’s one key rule: food is fuel, and better food means better fuel! You need lots of energy and nutrients so you can play longer and stronger.

Buffalo Bills center Mitch Morse pushes a weighted sled during pre-game warmups.

Football combines a lot of different physical tools like strength, agility, and speed. In order to best utilize all these tools, football players do a ton of different exercises. These include: strength training, calisthenics, aerobics, yoga, and even less physical drills for things like hand-eye coordination.