Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah takes great pride in his heritage and often wears colorful African attire to the stadium on game days. His stylish outfits have earned him recognition from GQ as the NFL’s most fashionable player.
On Sunday, he made a significant fashion choice by becoming the first Cleveland player to wear a padded guardian cap during a regular-season game. “I’ll wear it again,” he said Wednesday.
Owusu-Koramoah is one of the few players in the league opting to use this protective cap, which is a foam cover that goes over their helmets to help reduce the risk of concussions, during the first two weeks of the season.
The NFL required these caps during training camp and practice but made their use optional for games.
According to the league, six players wore the caps in Week 1 and seven in Week 2. They also mentioned that the cap has cut concussions “approximately 50% over the past two preseasons.”
Owusu-Koramoah thought about wearing one in the game against Jacksonville in Week 2, especially after Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered a concussion in a nationally televised match. Tagovailoa’s injury has led to more discussions among players and fans about head injuries and player safety.
As a second-round draft pick from Notre Dame in 2021, Owusu-Koramoah said the Browns haven’t talked specifically about Tagovailoa’s injury as a team, but he believes it might encourage more players to wear the caps.
“I believe that it’s always kind of the case,” he said. “The more cases you see of certain things dealing with the head, the more the league may try to mandate it or maybe coaches may recommend it.”
