THE PERFECT PAIR. Chris Olave has found his perfect match.
I’m, of course, talking about Guardian Sports, the creators of the Guardian Cap, which is mandatory during NFL practices for most positions and has now become commonplace across college football programs, including Ohio State.
This week, Olave became a Guardian Signature Athlete, expanding his relationship with the brand he’s worn for the past two seasons.
Olave sustained at least two known concussions during the 2024 season and missed the Saints’ final eight games after trainers took him off the field on a backboard following a hit to the head in a November game against the Panthers.
The former Ohio State star consulted with specialists outside of the Saints organization and briefly contemplated retirement. Olave returned to football in 2025 wearing a Guardian SoftShox Chinstrap and a Guardian Cap NXT.
Now an official partner of Guardian Sports, Olave plans to donate the chinstraps and caps to his alma mater, Mission Hills High School in San Marcos, California, as well as local high school football programs in New Orleans.
Olave’s mission is to break the stigma that wearing a Guardian Cap — or any form of additional head protection — is lame. (It’s not, I promise! Protecting your brain has never been cooler, kids!)
“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,” Olave said of personally wearing a Guardian Cap. “I love my kids to death. So I don’t really care how it looks no more. I just got to throw it on.”
Guardian Sports COO Jake Hanson said his company is proud to partner with Olave in his efforts.
“Chris has chosen to wear Guardian equipment over the years because he believes in taking a proactive approach to his equipment and his health,” he said in a statement. “That mindset aligns directly with our mission to continue developing innovative solutions to better protect athletes at every level of the game.”
Olave is off to a hot start in 2026 after signing a four-year, $132 million extension with the Saints this summer. His connection with quarterback Tyler Shough has been productive, as Olave has racked up 27 catches on 36 targets for 375 yards and one touchdown through three games.
