New helmet aims to reduce brain injuries in football

ROSEMONT, Ill. (WLS) -- There's a new helmet designed to reduce the risk of brain injury on the football field.

Players from 16 pro teams and a dozen college football squads are using the new technology this year.

Riddell, which is based in suburban Rosemont, designed the helmet. It flexes to help absorb head impact.

Thad Ide, Riddell's senior vice president for research and product development, said his company isn't claiming that the SpeedFlex can help reduce concussions. But like Bielema, he believes progress is being made in regards to lessening head impacts.

"We'll let the medical researchers weigh in on the medical data around concussions, because that's kind of a moving target right now because of all the things that are being learned," Ide said. "But what we can do is try to reduce the forces of impact to the player's head. I think reducing those forces is unequivocally a good thing."

Mike Oliver, the executive director of NOCSAE, said helmet technology is improving but there are no simple answers.

"I think the helmet manufactures are doing everything they can do to address these issues," Oliver said. "But they labor under the same restrictions that we do, which is until we understand more about the specifics of what causes a particular concussion, it's a little difficult."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.