The Denver Broncos are kick-starting their offseason with a wonderful new initiative targeted toward Colorado’s tackle high school football programs.
On Tuesday, the franchise announced “All In. All Covered.,” an “unprecedented statewide helmet distribution program” that will provide more than 15,000 Riddell Axiom smart helmets to all 277 high schools in Colorado via the team’s philanthropic arm, per the team’s website. The $12M price tag represents the largest community investment in franchise history.
Schools will receive their full allotment over a four-year period, with the first shipments beginning in May. Notably, the Riddell Axiom helmet was rated in the top-tier of overall safest helmets this season by the NFL and the NFLPA, per Sports Business Journal.
“We’re wanting to make the game as safe as possible and wanting to grow the game, and making sure that parents, administrators, and coaches understand this is one the most innovative and safe helmets that’s out there,” said team co-owner Carrie Walton Penner. “I think it gives parents a little bit more comfort if they have questions about whether or not their children should play tackle football.”
The franchise further detailed the initiative in a video narrated by Broncos legend Peyton Manning.
Riddell will provide custom helmet fittings for the students, and the Broncos’ foundation will pay for four years of InSite Analytics plus a Riddell Sideline Device for tracking and analyzing performance, according to Axios. Each helmet is further equipped with impact sensing and reporting technology.
“We’re really excited about this,” Walton Penner adds. “It feels like a capstone program, and it really kind of establishes what we want to do, and how we’re focusing on on being a good partner across the state, and really thinking about youth.”
Fans and NFL world personalities applauded the Broncos for the move on social media. Some fans even called on their favorite franchises to do similarly.
Good moves, Denver.
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