On Wednesday, Action News Jax Alicia Tarancon shared information about smart football helmets and how they are preventing concussions in the National Football League and in the high school level.
Action News Jax is looking into another piece of vital equipment players in the Super Bowl will be wearing on Sunday that has undergone a major change over the years: the shoulder pad.
The pads, like that of the XTECH’s, are lighter and more flexible.
Action News Jax anchor Phil Amato spoke with Brian Billick who coached the Baltimore Ravens to Super Bowl victory 20 years ago.
He’s an investor in XTECH and an ambassador for the company and says the shoulder pad is cutting edge in other ways.
Billick says XTECH’s technology instantly dissipates the force of the impact, absorbing up to 90% of its energy, and forms a comfortable protective shell that shields and protects the body.
70% of NFL football players wear them.
On Sunday, Le’veon Bell and Tyreek Hill of the Chiefs and Rob Gronkowski and Mike Evans of the Buccaneers will be wearing the pads.
Billick said 75% of the Jacksonville Jaguars also wear Xtech pads and the same pads are worn by many high school players across the nation, including Bishop Kenny and Bartram Trail.
We listed the NFL players who currently wear the pads below. Billick says they aren’t paid to wear them.
LOS ANGELES RAMS
- Aaron Donald, DT
- Cooper Kupp, WR
- Cam Akers, RB
- Robert Woods, WR
- Tyler Higbee, TE
- John Wolford, QB
- Michael Brockers, DE
- Leonard Floyd, LB
- Terrell Lewis, LB
GREEN BAY PACKERS
- DaVante Adams, WR
- Kenny Clark, DT
BALTIMORE RAVENS
- Calais Campbell, DT
- Orlando Brown, OT
- Matthew Judon, OLB
- Justin Ellis, DT
BUFFALO BILLS
- Josh Allen, QB
- Quenton Jefferson, DT
- Josh Norman, DB
- Jerry Hughes, DE
CLEVELAND BROWNS
- Jarvis Landry, WR
- Myles Garrett, DT
- Nick Chubb, RB
- Denzel Ward, RB
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
- Tyreek Hill, WR
- Daniel Sorenson, Safety
- Tyran Mathieu, Safety
- Le’Veon Bell, RB
- DeMarcus Robinson, WR
- Mercole Hardman, WR
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
- Rob Gronkowski, TE
- Mike Evans, WR
- Ronald Jones III, RB
- Jason Pierre-Paul, DE
- Antonie Winfield, Safety
SAMPLING OF BIG NAMES THROUGHOUT NFL:
- Daniel Jones, QB – New York Giants
- Saquon Barkley, RB – New York Giants***
- Sterling Shepard, WR – New York Giants
- Sam Darnold, QB – New York Jets
- Boston Scott, RB – Philadelphia Eagles
- Mile Sanders, RB – Philadelphia Eagles
- James Connor, RB – Pittsburgh Steelers
- Minkah Fitzpatrick, Safety – Pittsburgh Steelers***
- Joe Haden, CB – Pittsburgh Steelers***
- Bud Dupree, DE – Pittsburgh Steelers***
- Khalil Mach, DE – Chicago Bears***
- Cordarrell Patterson, WR, Chicago Bears
- Akiem Hiks, DT, Chicago Bears
- Ezekiel Elliott, RB – Dallas Cowboys***
- Cee Dee Lamb, WR – Dallas Cowboys
- Tyron Smith, OT – Dallas Cowboys
- Josh Jacob, RB – Las Vegas Raiders***
- David Carr, QB – Las Vegas Raiders
- Darren Waller, TE – Las Vegas Raiders***
- David Johnson, RB – Houston Texans
- Whitney Mercilus, OLB – Houston Texans
- Arik Armstead, DE – San Francisco 49ers***
- George Kittle, TE – San Francisco 49ers
- DeAndre Hopkins, WR – Arizona Cardinals
- Justin Pugh, OL – Arizona Cardinals
- Von Miller, DE – Denver Broncos
- Courtland Sutton, WR – Denver Broncos
- Bradley Chubb, LB – Denver Broncos
- DK Metcalf, WR – Seattle Seahawks
- Carlos Hyde, RB – Seattle Seahawks
- Keenan Allen, WR – LA Chargers
- Joey Bosa, DE – LA Chargers
- Justin Herbert, QB – LA Chargers
- Quenton Nelson, OG – Indianapolis Colts
- Michael Pittman, WR – Indianapolis Colts
- Darius Leonard, OLB – Indianapolis Colts
- Cam Newton, QB – New England Patriots
- Stephon Gilmore, CB – New England Patriots
- Jason McCourty, Safety – New England Patriots
- Devin McCourty, Safety – New England Patriots
- Dalvin Cook, RB – Minnesota Vikings
- Anthony Barr, LB – Minnesota Vikings
- Harrison Smith, Safety – Minnesota Vikings
- Justin Jefferson, WR – Minnesota Vikings
- Matt Ryan, QB – Atlanta Falcons
- Calvin Ridley, WR – Atlanta Falcons
- Grady Jarrett, DT – Atlanta Falcons
- Taysom Hill, QB – New Orleans Saints
- Kenny Golladay, WR – Detroit Lions
- AJ Brown, WR – Tennessee Titans
- Taylor Lewan, OT – Tennessee Titans
- Daviid Quessenberry, OL – Tennessee Titans
- Da’Ron Payne – DT – Washington Football Team
- Ryan Kerrigan – DE – Washington Football Team
- Landon Collins – Safety – Washington Football Team
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