The Aaron Rodgers saga finally reached its conclusion last week, when he agreed to terms witht he Pittsburgh Steelers on a one-year, $13.65 million contract. The signing happened a matter of days before mandatory minicamp, which began on Tuesday. Steelers fans got their first look at Rodgers wearing a Pittsburgh helmet.
Speaking of helmet, fans may have spotted Rodgers wearing one he never wore throughout his career. Rodgers had some thoughts on that. While speaking with reporters, Rodgers revealed he is trying out new helmets, as the one he wore for 20 years, the Schutt Air XP Q11, is prohibited from being worn by the NFL.
“I can’t stand the helmet. I’ve worn a Schutt for 20 years and somehow it finally didn’t pass the safety standards," Rodgers said, h/t NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.
Aaron Rodgers complains about NFL banning preferred helmet in Steelers minicamp
For those wondering, Rodgers was able to wear the Schutt Air XP Q11 last season, due in part to it being designated as "not recommended," per Garafolo. But now, it no longer carries that designation, as it is now banned from being worn.
Rodgers’ preferred helmet was the Schutt Air XP Q11, which was listed as “not recommended” last year and is now prohibited. pic.twitter.com/a8pgzig0yx
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) June 10, 2025
Every year, the NFL and NFLPA send helmets to biomechanical experts and "the joint engineering and equipment safety committee" to test whether or not they reduce head impact severity. They are separated into groups: Green for "Recommended," Yellow for "Not Recommended," and Red for "Prohibited." So, the Schutt Air XP Q11 is part of the "Prohibited" group. With that, Rodgers will have to try out helmets that aren't banned for the upcoming season.
This isn't the first time that an NFL player has had to deal with a helmet change. In 2019, Antonio Brown notably refused to play or practice for the Raiders, if he wasn't able to wear his preferred helmet, the Schutt Air Advantage, which was prohibited from being worn by the NFL. That was one of many controversies surrounding Brown, leading to him being released before even playing a game for them following his trade from the Steelers.
It's unlikely Rodgers will take the route the former mercurial Steelers wide receiver took, but it's obvious he isn't thrilled about having to change his helmet. Ultimately, he will have to reach a decision on which one he'll wear in his first season with the Steelers.