NFL Helmets Were Optional Until 1943. Dick Plasman Played Without One
The NFL did not require helmets until 1943. The last known player to go without one was Chicago Bears end Dick Plasman.
For the NFL's first two decades, a helmet was optional. The Pro Football Hall of Fame names Chicago Bears end Dick Plasman as the last known player to play without one. He went helmetless from 1937 until 1941.
Why he skipped it
Plasman disliked the helmets of the era because they dropped over his eyes and blocked his view when he went for a pass.
The 1943 rule
Plasman was inducted into the Army Air Forces in July 1942 and missed the 1942 and 1943 seasons. In 1943 the NFL made helmets mandatory, and the rule appeared in that year's rule book. When Plasman came back to the Bears for three games at the end of 1944, he had to wear one.
Today
Rule 5, Section 4, Article 3 of the 2026 rulebook lists mandatory equipment. Item 1 requires a helmet with all points of the chin strap fastened and the facemask attached.
Quick answers
- When did the NFL make helmets mandatory?
- In 1943, according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The rule appeared in that year's rule book.
- Who was the last NFL player without a helmet?
- The Hall of Fame names Dick Plasman of the Chicago Bears as the last known player to play without one.
- What does the rulebook require today?
- A helmet with all points of the chin strap fastened and the facemask attached.
Sources
- Pro Football Hall of Fame: Changing the Rules archive
- History.com: The NFL's last helmetless player
- 2026 Official Playing Rules of the National Football League
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