With a pregnant woman at home and COVID-19 in mind, Danny Shelton thought he would donate the new face mask designed to stop the spread of the new coronavirus.
But a week into training camp, the Detroit Lions defensive tackle said he tends not to wear the mask in games this fall and is waiting to try a second version of the. protection device which should be available soon.
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“I like the concept as far as more protection,” Shelton said. “But it’s something that is really, as you have to get used to. It’s hard to get used to it as much as it is for me.
Shelton is one of seven Lions who tried the shield out in last week’s workouts or helmet workouts earlier this month, and one of two who still use it.
The shield, designed by Oakley and recommended for use by the NFL, is plastic and has slots that block the direct path of any droplet to the mouth and nose, but allow airflow and sound. Typically, it is worn with a visor that covers the upper part of the face.
Shelton, who has worn a visor for most of his career, sported a face shield during each of the Lions’ five practices last week.
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While some players have complained about their visor fogging up or having difficulty breathing, Shelton said his biggest problem with the shield was its impracticality.
“I like to grab my face mask, adjust and stuff, so you don’t have that luxury of doing that,” he says. “In the middle of the game, you’re going to have to take off your helmet to wipe off the sweat and adjust. And also just cleaning it, because I wear an extra visor, so I prefer to clean all of that to make sure. It just adds a little more, I think, unnecessary time, I guess. Because if I’m fogged up during a play, I don’t have time to go through my face mask and clean it. I have to take off all my helmet.
NFL chief medical officer Dr. Allen Sills said last week that comments about the mouthguard “have been mixed” in the league.
“There are some players who really got into it quickly, and then there are others who have expressed concerns about the issue of ventilation, etc.,” he said. “Based on this feedback we’ve already received, even before the padded practices, Oakley is already in the process of designing and producing a version two of the shield to address some of the concerns expressed. We therefore expect version two to be in the hands of players within the next week or two to allow them to use it as well.
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Shelton said he appreciates the concept and the idea of having more protection against the spread of the coronavirus on the ground. His wife, Yvonne, is four months pregnant, and the couple have been paying close attention to social distancing and hand hygiene throughout the pandemic.
And although he plans to continue to wear the shield for the sake of training in practice – “It adds to the fatigue and the feeling of being fatigued,” he said – he probably won’t. not during the regular season.
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“Right now it’s a bit difficult to work with,” he says. “I didn’t have too much of a problem with the respiratory aspect. Some guys are claustrophobic, but I kind of block it all. The only thing that bothers me is just the hassle of trying to clean up halfway through. I have to wait until I get to the sideline to clean up.
“I will honestly leave depending on how they came out. If it’s easier to manage, I think I’ll play with it.
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