Explained: What Is Q-Collar Band NFL Players Wear Around Their Neck

Many NFL fans were intrigued when running back Tony Pollard of the Dallas Cowboys and other players were spotted with Q-Collar.

We are accustomed to seeing the typical accessories worn by NFL players, such as helmets and under-body armour, but this was not something we frequently observe.

The Q-Collar is the most recent effort to avoid head injuries, although there is considerable disagreement around its use and use. Nevertheless, more and more NFL players are adopting the Q-Collar, wearing the equipment while playing.

What is a Q-collar?

The FDA gave the Q30 company’s unique Q Collar its seal of approval in 2021. Before then, players like Luke Kuechly wore it in an unconventional manner.

The Q collar bends the jugular vein just enough to enhance blood flow to the brain.

When the players are engaged in activity, the excess blood acts as a cushion for the brain.

“This puts a kink on the hose, so the jugular is slower to drain,” Dr. Julian Bailes says. “This kink fills capillaries around the brain with just about a tablespoon of extra blood, stabilizing it almost like bubble wrap.”

NFL players wearing the Q-Collar

A number of NFL players have started sporting the Q-Collar in 2023, including:

  • Chargers LB Drue Tranquill
  • Cowboys RB Tony Pollard
  • Cowboys TE Dalton Schultz
  • Panthers LB Shaq Thompson
  • Rams S Taylor Rapp
  • Eagles RB Boston Scott
  • Seahawks TE Colby Parkinson

Why are Q collars used by NFL players?

For NFL players who are more susceptible to concussions, the phenomenon described above is crucial.

Although the likelihood increases as a result of that specific development, concussions do not always result from direct head contact.

However, rapid changes in momentum that cause the brain to shift in the cranial fluid and collide with the inner skull are what actually cause repetitive concussions in the brain. Therefore, nearly any impact in the NFL can result in a concussion if it drastically alters the player’s momentum during a tackle.

An additional blood infusion has an airbag effect and limits the brain’s capacity to move within the cerebral fluid. Then, it lessens concussions.

When wearing the collar, college players experienced a decrease in the incidence of alteration in deep brain tissue from 77% to 27%.

Is the Q-Collar actually effective?

2018 saw a study of 284 high school football players sponsored by Q30, the creator of the Q-Collar. After a season, 77% of athletes who wore the Q-Collar reported no noticeable changes in their brains, compared to 73% of those who didn’t. The FDA deemed the connection to be “invalid.”

Although the device has FDA approval, there is insufficient medical evidence to demonstrate that the Q-Collar is effective in reducing head trauma. According to the FDA’s approval statement, Data “does not establish that the device can prevent concussion or serious head damage,” the FDA stated in 2021.

The agency also says that “the Q-Collar has not been demonstrated to prevent long-term cognitive function deficits, and the ultimate impact on clinical outcomes has not been evaluated.”

The NFL may benefit from the Q collar given the nature of the sport and how difficult it has been to address its risky nature.

It might eventually turn into a requirement for all league players to wear.

The NFL once did not require players to wear helmets, but today players are not permitted to remove their helmets while the play clock is running.

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