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Adam Teicher, ESPN Staff Writer
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The manufacturer of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes‘ helmet said the headgear served its intended purpose despite cracking and a piece breaking off in subzero temperatures during Saturday night’s playoff game.
“While outer shell damage is not ideal, the ZERO2 helmet did its job of protecting Patrick Mahomes during a head-to-head impact during unprecedented cold temperatures,” VICIS said in a statement released on X. “The exclusive multi-layer technology employed in the VICIS ZERO2 helmet model utilizes a deformable outer shell, RFLX impact absorption layer, followed by a stiff inner shell. This design approach is similar to the crumple zone of modern cars, effectively absorbing and dispersing impact forces at the point of contact.
“Extreme conditions like those experienced in Saturday evening’s NFL playoff game are bound to test the limits of even the highest performing products.”
A piece of Mahomes’ helmet broke off as he was being tackled during the victory against the Miami Dolphins. The temperature in Kansas City at kickoff was minus 4.
“I’m sure it had to do with it being really cold,” Mahomes said. “I didn’t know what happened in the moment, but I got in the huddle and everybody was telling me.
“It was a first for me.”
Mahomes was given a replacement helmet, and he initially struggled to get it to fit. He worked with equipment managers on the sideline until the new helmet worked for him.
“We have to talk about where we store the backup because it was frozen, so when I tried to put it on … I couldn’t get it on,” Mahomes said. “It didn’t look great. We were able to adjust it on the sideline, get it kind of warmed up a bit and get rolling from there.”
