Okay, so I got curious about this whole mouthguard thing in the NFL. Like, do those guys really have to wear them? I see some players with them, some without, and it got me wondering what the actual rule is.
Digging into the Rules
First, I started poking around online. I found some stuff that talked about high school and college football, where it’s a definite “yes, you gotta wear one.” Apparently, it’s all about preventing those nasty dental injuries. Makes sense, right? Nobody wants to lose a tooth.
But the NFL? That was a bit trickier. I saw some articles mentioning the American Dental Association and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFSH) – those guys are all about mouthguards.
- I learned that, for those levels, it’s 100% mandatory.
NFL’s Different Approach
Then I stumbled upon the real deal: The NFL doesn’t actually force players to wear mouthguards. It’s their choice. So, some players, for whatever reason, decide to go without. It feels weird, because you’d think with all the hard hits, they’d want every bit of protection they could get!
My Takeaway
It was pretty surprising to me. So, in the end, no player is required to wear a mouthguard. However, many do anyway because it obviously helps with their safety.
