Bill Simpson

IndyStar Simpson Story

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Phillip Wilson of IndyStar wrote a story about the helmet with the first comments from players about it.  Wilson has uncovered some interesting players that may be donning the helmet, even if in practice;

Defensive end Dwight Freeney tried one Monday for about 30 minutes. Tight end Dallas Clark, who has had multiple concussions in his career, has been fitted. So, too, have center Jeff Saturday and offensive lineman Ryan Diem.

“Clark loved it,” said Simpson, who is in a partnership with accomplished auto racing team owner Chip Ganassi on the venture. “It’s significantly better in impacts than what they have been using.”

Continue reading →

Simpson Speaks and We See UPDATE

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Bill Simpson was interviewed on TV (6 News), The Indy Channel talking about his helmet, video here.  This marks the first time he has publicly spoke about the helmet and there are some interesting things we have learned because of it.

1. As reported in the comment section of the last post about the helmet, Simpson has sold Impact Racing to focus on football helmet making. Continue reading →

Bill Simpson Enters Football Helmet Race

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As we learn more about the concussion issue there are people trying their hardest to provide as much protection as possible for those that play the game.  From new assessment techniques to proper rehabilitation of the injury there is a myriad of different ways we can help out.  The most important is erasing the stigma and educating all those involved in sports, particularly football.

Right now (and for the discernible future) there is no equipment, including helmets, that can protect/attenuate/prevent concussions, it is just a physics impossibility.  However technology has come a long way in reducing the force transmitted to the head via helmets, with Riddell, Schutt and Xenith being the main focus and Rawlings a recent entry.  There have been a lot of people looking at auto racing helmets for their ability to disperse forces, but there is a problem with them. Continue reading →

Austin Collie 4.0? UPDATE

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UPDATE BELOW

The Indianapolis Colts wide receiver has been through a lot the past year while dealing with concussions.  In fact last season I went on record to clear up the actual number of concussions he sustained last year.  Collie had three concussions last season and now in an effort to minimize his risks this year he sought out Bill Simpson;

And he reportedly has been working with auto racing safety expert Bill Simpson to design a new football helmet. Collie could not confirm those reports Thursday.

“That is for him to comment on,” he said. “No comment.”

The helmet Collie has been wearing at Anderson University appears to have more padding in the back, and its shape seems slightly different than a regulation helmet.

Last weekend when Will Carroll and I met up in Effingham, Illinois we were wondering about just this, however we had not heard anything, Continue reading →