NFL testing new face masks that could include surgical or N95 material to fight spread of virus
File photo - San Francisco 49ers helmet.
OAKLAND, Calif. - The NFL is testing helmet prototypes with modified face masks that might contain surgical or N95 material.
The NFL Players Association’s Medical Director Thom Mayer said Monday that when the NFL returns to play “there will probably be a recommendation” that the league implements these kinds of masks to protect players against the spread of COVID-19, as first reported by ESPN.
Mayer said he’s not exactly sure how the modifications would look. Engineers are working with the sports equipment company Oakley and they could find a design that covers a player’s entire face mask.
"Back in early March, I had suggested that we should consider novel and emerging ways to handle the helmets and the face masks and the spread of the virus," Mayer said, per ESPN. "And these guys, the bioengineers that we use and that the league uses -- Oakley, as you may or may not know, does all the face visors for the league under contract -- these guys got the bit between their teeth."
Mayer said Oakley is considering the potential of the face mask fogging up, and added the company has experience designing sturdy eyeglasses that don’t fog up for the military.
The NFL is still set on starting play in September.