Eagles•Unique Columns
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Beneath the Eagles’ uniforms, shoulder pads, cushioning, and other protective gear help shield different parts of the body from hard hits and contact with the turf.
Some pieces are required by NFL rules, while others depend on a player’s position, personal preference, or the need for additional protection following an injury.
💪 Shoulder and Chest Protection: Built for Each Position
Shoulder pads combine hard plastic shells with cushioning materials that help absorb and distribute the force of impacts. They cover the shoulders and parts of the upper body, but their size and construction vary according to the demands of each position.
Three Eagles illustrate those differences:
🛡️ Jordan Mailata — Offensive Tackle. Offensive linemen face repeated contact with opposing defensive linemen on nearly every play. Pads designed for the position typically provide broader coverage across the shoulders and chest, with reinforced structures built to withstand frequent collisions.
⚡ Saquon Barkley — Running Back. Running backs need to accelerate quickly, make sharp cuts, and navigate heavy traffic between the tackles or in open space. Their padding must cushion hits from multiple angles without limiting the mobility those movements require.
🏈 DeVonta Smith — Wide Receiver. To run routes and make catches, Smith needs the freedom to move his shoulders and fully extend his arms. Receivers typically wear more compact shoulder pads that allow for a greater range of motion.
These differences reflect the typical needs of each position, rather than the exact models worn by Mailata, Barkley, and Smith. Individual choices also depend on fit, comfort, and personal preference.
🦺 Ribs and Back: When Extra Protection Matters
Some players need additional coverage in the form of rib protectors, padded vests, or back plates.
Two former Eagles offer examples of specialized equipment used during injury recovery.
🏈 Donovan McNabb — Quarterback. In 2009, McNabb fractured a rib. Before returning to the field, he tested different rib protectors and padding options, gear he noted he hadn’t worn in six or seven years.
⚡ LeSean McCoy — Running Back. In 2010, McCoy also needed extra protection after suffering a rib injury. He wore a flak jacket, a close-fitting protective vest that allowed him to make his characteristic lateral cuts without feeling restricted.
These additions can complement standard equipment when a player needs more targeted coverage during recovery.
🦵 Thighs, Knees, and Hips: What the NFL Requires
NFL rules require players to wear approved thigh and knee pads, with kickers and punters exempt from those requirements.
Worn beneath football pants, these pads help cushion direct blows and hard landings. Hip pads are also available and recommended by the NFL, although they aren’t mandatory.
Players can also protect the groin area with a protective cup, a rigid piece designed to absorb direct impacts. Cups aren’t mandatory, and many players opt against wearing them because of discomfort or concerns about restricted movement. Their use is relatively uncommon in the NFL.
🦷 Mouthguards: Optional but Common
Mouthguards help reduce injuries to the teeth, lips, tongue, and other soft tissues inside the mouth when players take a hit.
Although the NFL doesn’t require them, many players wear them. Options range from boil-and-bite models, softened in hot water and molded to fit the teeth, to custom-made versions designed for an individual player’s mouth.
During games, mouthguards can often be seen hanging from players’ facemasks between plays, attached by straps that keep them secured to their helmets.
🔧 Before Kickoff: Equipment Checks and Pregame Routines
Game-day preparation combines players’ personal routines with the work of the equipment staff.
🛡️ Jordan Mailata, for example, follows a specific order when getting dressed before games. He starts with his pants, then puts on his right thigh pad, followed by the left. Shoulder pads come next, and knee pads go on last.
Eagles players also rely on the team’s equipment staff, led by Greg Delimitros, vice president of equipment operations. His department prepares, fits, and maintains the gear players need for practices and games.
Finding the right balance between safety and comfort is an important part of that work. Delimitros has explained that many players want to feel light and fast, so his staff must help them choose safer options without unnecessarily restricting their movement.
Protective equipment has also changed considerably over the years. In football’s early decades, players relied on materials such as leather, wool, and felt. These eventually gave way to plastic shells and specialized foams developed to absorb impacts.
📡 Chips in Shoulder Pads: How Player Tracking Works
Shoulder pads can also house devices that track players’ movements throughout a game.
The NFL’s Next Gen Stats system uses radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags embedded in shoulder pads. Receivers installed throughout stadiums pick up their signals, allowing the league to record data such as player location, speed, distance traveled, and acceleration.
The system collects information 10 times per second. When a broadcast shows Saquon Barkley’s top speed during a run, that number can come directly from the tracking data.
The league also uses sensors built into certain mouthguards to study head impacts. That information supports player safety research and helps inform improvements in protective equipment and football practices.
No protective equipment can eliminate the risk of injury, but each piece serves a purpose: reducing that risk without unnecessarily limiting a player’s movement.
Football’s physicality is part of its appeal, but there’s a difference between watching a hard hit and forgetting who’s taking it. Beneath the helmets and pads are athletes, not gladiators. Keeping them healthy is essential not only to their performance, but also to the future of the game.
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