The neck bands you see on NFL players are called the Q-Collar, a C-shaped device made by Q30 Innovations. It sits around the base of the neck and applies light pressure to the jugular veins on both sides. The idea is that this gentle compression helps protect the brain from the cumulative effects of repeated head impacts during play.
How the Q-Collar Works
The device is built on a concept researchers call “slosh.” When your head takes a hit, your brain can shift and collide against the inside of your skull. Helmets reduce the force reaching your head, but they can’t fully prevent this internal movement. The Q-Collar targets a different layer of the problem: by lightly compressing the jugular veins, it causes a small increase in blood volume inside the skull. That extra blood acts like a tighter packing material around the brain, reducing how much the brain moves on impact.
Think of it like a jar filled loosely with olives. Shake it and the olives slam around. Fill the remaining space with liquid, and they barely move. The Q-Collar aims to do something similar inside your skull by slightly increasing how much blood stays in the cranial space at any given moment.
What the FDA Actually Cleared It For
The Q-Collar received FDA clearance as a Class II medical device in 2021, but the clearance comes with important fine print. The device is authorized “to aid in the protection of the brain from effects associated with repetitive sub-concussive head impacts” in athletes aged 13 and older. Sub-concussive impacts are the smaller, everyday hits that don’t cause an obvious concussion but may accumulate over a season or career.
Here’s what the FDA explicitly requires the labeling to say: the data do not demonstrate that the device can prevent concussion or serious brain injury. The Q-Collar is not a concussion prevention tool. It doesn’t replace helmets or any other protective equipment, and wearers should not depend on it to protect them from all harmful effects of head impacts. The Concussion Alliance has noted that the Q-Collar has not been demonstrated to prevent long-term cognitive deficits, and its ultimate impact on clinical outcomes has not been evaluated.
The Evidence So Far
The studies behind the Q-Collar have primarily used brain imaging to look at changes in white matter, the wiring that connects different brain regions. In research on high school athletes, players wearing the collar showed fewer changes in brain structure over the course of a season compared to those who didn’t wear it. A study published in the Journal of Neurotrauma on female high school soccer players found that the collar appeared to reduce changes in brain activation patterns related to working memory after a season of play.
These imaging findings are what earned the device its FDA clearance, but the FDA itself flagged a limitation: the use of imaging studies as a future indicator of brain injury has not been validated. In other words, seeing fewer changes on a brain scan doesn’t necessarily mean fewer real-world symptoms, better long-term brain health, or reduced concussion risk. That gap between imaging results and actual health outcomes is the central point of debate around the device.
Which NFL Players Wear It
The Q-Collar has a growing list of NFL ambassadors. Retired linebacker Luke Kuechly, known for ending his career early due to concussion concerns, is one of the most recognizable names associated with the device. Current players include Sauce Gardner (cornerback, Indianapolis Colts), Logan Wilson (linebacker, Dallas Cowboys), Tony Pollard (running back, Tennessee Titans), Dalton Schultz (tight end, Houston Texans), Dalton Kincaid (tight end, Buffalo Bills), Drue Tranquill (linebacker, Kansas City Chiefs), and several others. The device is most visible on players without neck-covering padding, which is why you’ll often spot it on skill position players and linebackers.
Fit, Feel, and Practical Details
The Q-Collar is a stainless-steel spring coated in a silicone urethane elastomer, designed to be lightweight and low-profile. It sits open at the front of the neck with the two ends pressing against the jugular veins on each side. Proper sizing matters: the manufacturer recommends measuring the middle of your neck with a soft tape measure, keeping it snug with no slack, measuring three times, and using the smallest number. Shirt size is not a reliable guide.
When sized correctly, the collar doesn’t restrict head or neck movement, and Q30 states it does not reduce blood flow through the carotid arteries (the vessels that carry blood to the brain). It’s meant to be worn alongside all other sport-specific equipment. Because it’s classified as a medical device, the FDA recommends against sharing it between athletes or buying one used.
Cost and Availability
The Q-Collar retails for $199 directly from Q30 and is available to anyone, not just professional athletes. It’s cleared for use by athletes aged 13 and older in any sport where head impacts are a risk, from football and hockey to soccer and lacrosse. You don’t need a prescription to buy one.
For parents or athletes considering the purchase, the key thing to understand is what you’re getting: a device with some promising early imaging data, FDA clearance for sub-concussive impact protection, but no proven ability to prevent concussions or long-term brain injury. It’s an additional layer in a protection strategy, not a standalone solution.