Saints WR Chris Olave Partners With Guardian Sports

(NEW ORLEANS, LA) - If you've watched the Saints over the last couple of seasons, you've probably noticed Chris Olave's helmet looks a little different from everybody else's. That padded shell on top is a Guardian Cap, and the company that makes it just made Olave one of its signature athletes.

Guardian Sports announced Monday that the Saints wide receiver is its newest Guardian Signature Athlete. Olave has worn the company's gear, including the Guardian Cap NXT and the Guardian SoftShox Chinstrap, since 2025. Now he'll help spread the word about impact-reducing equipment, and he's getting the chance to put that gear on high school players too.

"I Don't Really Care How It Looks Anymore"

Let's face it, the Guardian Cap isn't winning any fashion awards. Plenty of fans have poked fun at how it looks on game day. I admit, I always looked at the Guardian Cap and thought about the Nickelodeon coverage of NFL games with the oversized helmets on the animated players. Olave doesn't seem bothered one bit, and his reason is about as real as it gets.

It was just a decision I made. I want to live a regular life after I'm done with football. I love my kids to death so I don't really care how it looks anymore I just have to throw it on,

Olave said in the announcement.

That's a grown-up way to look at it. After the concussions he dealt with in 2024, nobody would blame him for putting his health first.

Olave isn't alone. Guardian Caps have become increasingly visible during NFL games, with players at positions ranging from wide receiver and running back to safety and offensive line choosing to wear them. Several Saints teammates, including Barion Brown, Nathan Shepherd and Christen Miller, have also worn the padded helmet covers during the 2026 season.

What the Cap and Chinstrap Actually Do

The Guardian Cap is a soft-shell cover that fits over a regular football helmet. It absorbs and spreads out the energy from a hit. The caps have been around since 2010 and are now used at every level of football, from youth leagues to the NFL.

The SoftShox Chinstrap is the newer piece of the puzzle. It uses hydraulic technology to help reduce head acceleration when a player takes a hit to the facemask. That matters more than you might think. According to the NFL, about half of the impacts evaluated in its research happened at the facemask. In independent lab testing, Guardian says its chinstrap reduced HARM (a measure of head acceleration) by up to 35% compared to other chinstraps tested.

Safety Gear Headed to New Orleans High Schools

Here's the part I like most. As part of the deal, Olave will be able to donate Guardian Caps and SoftShox Chinstraps to his former high school and to high school football programs around New Orleans.

Chris has chosen to wear Guardian equipment over the years because he believes in taking a proactive approach to his equipment and his health,

said Guardian Sports COO Jake Hanson.

Here's hoping those caps and chinstraps do their job for the next generation of players, and that we get to watch Olave making plays on Sundays for a long time, then enjoy that regular life with his kids long after.

Most Penalized Saints Players in Past 10 Years

Over the years, the Saints have had their defensive struggles. Some players were known by fans to be 'flag magnets', especially on the corners. Here's a list of the 10 most penalized Saints players over the past 10 years, ranked by total yards lost.

Gallery Credit: Dave Steel