Football Helmet Safety Ratings Explained
Updated October 25, 2026 · Helmet Market
Football helmet safety ratings come from Virginia Tech's Helmet Lab, which tests helmets in the lab and gives each model a STAR rating from 1 to 5 stars. More stars mean the helmet did better at reducing the impact measures in Virginia Tech's tests. Here is how the ratings work and how to use them when you buy.
Who rates football helmets?
The best-known football helmet ratings are published by the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab in Blacksburg, Virginia. "Helmet ratings virginia tech" and "va tech helmet ratings" are among the most-searched helmet terms in the US. The lab rates varsity (adult) and youth helmets separately.
What the STAR ratings mean
- 5 stars: the best category in Virginia Tech's testing.
- Fewer stars: the helmet reduced the measured impacts less well in the lab.
- Not rated: the helmet has not been tested, which is common for older models.
Ratings apply to a specific model and version. Two helmets that look alike, such as different F7 or SpeedFlex versions, can have different ratings.
5-star helmets we sell
The Schutt F7 AiR Varsity Football Helmet and Schutt F7 AiR Youth Football Helmet both carry Virginia Tech 5-star ratings and are available new in 17 colors.
Do football helmets prevent concussions?
No. There is no concussion-proof football helmet, and no helmet can prevent all concussions. What a helmet can do is reduce the forces of an impact, and Virginia Tech's STAR system was built to compare helmets on how well they lower impact measures linked to concussion risk in lab tests. So when people search for a "concussion football helmet", the closest real answer is a top rated, well-fitted helmet that is maintained and recertified on schedule.
How football helmets have changed because of concussions
Football helmets moved from leather caps to hard plastic shells, and helmets have been tested to a NOCSAE standard since the 1970s. Growing awareness of concussions pushed manufacturers to design for lower impact forces and pushed independent labs like Virginia Tech to publish ratings, which is why current models such as the Riddell SpeedFlex (with its flex panel) and the Schutt F7 (with its Tektonic plate) look so different from older helmets.
Top rated football helmets by position
The best football helmet for a quarterback, receiver, lineman or linebacker is the top rated model that fits that player correctly. Position mostly changes the facemask: skill players choose open cages for visibility, linemen choose closed cages for protection. For the safest football helmets, start with a 5-star model, then get the fit right.
What ratings don't tell you
No helmet can prevent all head or neck injuries, and a high rating does not make a helmet safe if it doesn't fit or is past its service life. For the best and safest football helmet for a player, check three things together:
- Rating: the model's Virginia Tech STAR rating.
- Fit: a correctly sized and adjusted helmet (how to measure and fit).
- Condition and age: recertified on schedule and within its 10-year life (recertification explained).
Ratings and used helmets
A used helmet keeps its model's rating, but its condition, padding and recertification status matter just as much. Every used helmet we sell is graded on our condition scale, and cosmetic grades are not safety ratings. Browse Riddell SpeedFlex and Schutt F7 helmets.