Texans' Jalen Pitre named first-ever NFL Guardian Cap athlete in league history: 'Evolution of the game'

The National Football League made a large determination toward subordinate information successful 2020 erstwhile Guardian Caps were introduced. Just 2 years later, they were made mandatory for prime positions successful practices.

But past is changing erstwhile again, arsenic Houston Texans information Jalen Pitre has been named the first-ever NFL Guardian athlete.

"I deliberation the biggest happening is conscionable spreading the connection that shot is important to me, and it needs to beryllium played the close mode with the close things. Guardian Cap is the league and NCAA sponsor, and it is the close mode to support yourself," Pitre told Fox News Digital successful a caller interview. "I judge that I should beryllium wearing them and that others should beryllium wearing them arsenic well. I besides privation to dispersed the connection to the kids who don’t get to spot our practices, wherever we deterioration them regularly."

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Jalen Pitre of the Houston Texans lines up during an NFC Divisional Playoff crippled against the New England Patriots astatine Gillette Stadium connected Jan. 18, 2026, successful Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)

Pitre's determination was an casual 1 arsenic helium continued to deterioration the cap, which is present mandatory successful padded practices for everyone but quarterbacks. As a safety, helium is getting down-and-dirty often, and helium felt a quality close away.

"They privation to support america truthful everyone tin marque it to the crippled healthy. I privation to marque it location steadfast arsenic well, truthful wherefore not instrumentality an other measurement and deterioration it successful the crippled arsenic well? Having a headdress connected allows your caput to sorb hits amended and makes the hits connected apical of your caput a batch softer," Pitre said.

Houston Texans information Jalen Pitre waits for play to statesman successful the archetypal 4th during an NFL crippled against the Las Vegas Raiders connected Dec. 21, 2025, astatine NRG Stadium successful Houston, Texas. (Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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It's not communal for now, but Pitre believes that the Guardian Cap can, and will, go a mainstay.

"I spot it arsenic an improvement of the game. I consciousness similar Guardian headdress is going to beryllium congruent with shot yet and integrated into however they marque helmets. It volition beryllium the caller norm, and erstwhile my kids play football, they volition each person Guardian Caps, and cipher volition deliberation thing of it," helium said.

"Even if you look astatine the helmets they utilized to marque compared to the helmets now, it’s a implicit change."

Pitre knows that it's hard to person others to deterioration the cap, arsenic it's not precisely the astir stylish-looking portion of clothing. However ...

Stefon Diggs of the New England Patriots runs with the shot against Jalen Pitre of the Houston Texans during an NFC Divisional Playoff crippled astatine Gillette Stadium successful Foxborough, Massachusetts, connected Jan. 18, 2026. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)

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"If I’m making plays and doing good successful it," Pitre, caller disconnected a career-high 4 interceptions, said, "it looks cool, and it volition beryllium easier for others to follow."

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