History of The First Helmet

Facemasks help protect the face from serious injuries that can occur during a game. According to ESPN.com, the first facemask was featured in a 1953 game played by the Cleveland Browns. In the game, Browns quarterback Otto Graham suffered a jaw injury and needed some protection placed over his face so he could safely continue playing the game. At halftime, a metal protective cover was placed on the helmet to protect the jawbone, and Graham was able to continue playing the game. In today's NFL the simple, single-bar facemask developed for Graham is now banned in favor of facemasks that offer better protection to the head.