Chris Olave Named Guardian Signature Athlete
NFL Saints wide receiver Chris Olave Named Guardian Signature Athlete
New Orleans-based professional football player partners with leader in sports safety to spotlight athlete protection and the next generation of impact-reducing football equipment.
Guardian Sports, the sports equipment company behind the Guardian Cap, today announces New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave as a Guardian Signature Athlete, expanding a relationship built around athlete protection and innovation.
Olave has regularly worn Guardian equipment, including the Guardian SoftShox Chinstrap and Guardian Cap NXT, since 2025. Olave will help bring greater awareness to impact-reducing equipment and the role innovation can play as part of an athlete’s broader protective equipment system.
As part of the partnership, Olave will also have the opportunity to donate Guardian SoftShox Chinstraps and Guardian Caps to his former high school as well as local New Orleans high school football programs, extending access to innovative protective equipment to the next generation of athletes.
Why Chris Olave Chose Guardian SoftShox Chinstrap
For Olave, the partnership builds on his personal experience wearing Guardian equipment on the field.
“I wear the Guardian Chinstrap to better protect myself,” said Olave. “The extra layer gives peace of mind to staying safer for life both on and beyond the field.
Olave has not only committed to wearing the Guardian Chinstrap, but also the Guardian Cap during game play.
So it was just a decision I had made that, shoot, I got kids now. I want to be able to live the long game. It’s not all about football. So, I want to live a regular life after I’m done with football. I love my kids to death. So, I don’t really care how it looks no more. I just got to throw it on and, shoot, it did me good today.
Olave’s approach to his equipment reflects a shared commitment with Guardian Sports to advancing athlete protection through innovation, research and the continued development and adoption of new protective equipment.
We’re honored to welcome Chris Olave as a Guardian Signature Athlete. Chris has chosen to wear Guardian equipment over the years because he believes in taking a proactive approach to his equipment and his health. That mindset aligns directly with our mission to continue developing innovative solutions to better protect athletes at every level of the game.
Engineered for Impact
Guardian SoftShox Chinstrap is an impact-reducing football chinstrap developed by Guardian Sports in partnership with SoftShox. Powered by SoftShox hydraulic impact-reduction technology, the Guardian Chinstrap is engineered to help reduce head acceleration during facemask impacts while providing the secure, comfortable fit expected from a football chinstrap.
In independent laboratory testing, Guardian Chinstrap reduced HARM (Head Acceleration Response Metric) by up to 35% more than the other chinstraps tested under specific test conditions. At a test speed of 7.4 m/s, Gaurdian Chinstrap ranked #1 in HARM reduction among six chinstraps evaluated.
Research highlighted by the NFL has also shown the prevalence of facemask impacts in professional football, with approximately 50% of impacts evaluated in research occurring at the facemask — reinforcing the opportunity for continued innovation in equipment designed to help address forces associated with facemask contact.
Bringing Protection to the Next Generation
Olave’s role as a Signature Athlete extends beyond what he wears on the field.
Through the partnership, Olave will have the opportunity to donate Guardian SoftShox Chinstraps and Guardian Caps to his former high school as well as local New Orleans-area high school football programs, helping introduce the next generation of athletes to impact-reducing equipment.
From professional athletes like Olave to players just beginning their football careers, Guardian Sports remains focused on developing innovative equipment designed to help better protect athletes at every level of the game.
Engineered for Impact. Powered by SoftShox.
Learn more about the Guardian SoftShox Chinstrap at guardiansports.com.
Safety Disclaimer
No helmet, headgear, chinstrap or other piece of protective equipment can prevent or eliminate the risk of concussion or other serious head injury. Researchers have not reached agreement on how impact-attenuation test results relate to concussions or other injuries. No conclusions about a reduction in concussion risk, injury risk or injury severity should be drawn from HARM or other impact-attenuation testing.
