This fall, the Dallas Cowboys will need lots of protection from New York Giants edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux, the 5th overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft. But Thibodeaux will have some protection of his own, thanks to an innovative, concussion-preventing balaclava from a North Texas startup.

G8RTech’s Carter Hogg

Dallas-based G8RTech has appointed Thibodeaux to its advisory board and said that during the 2025 season he will wear the newest generation of the G8RSkin, “an innovative head covering shown to reduce concussion risk through extensive laboratory testing.” 

In addition to serving on G8RTech’s player safety committee, Thibodeaux will be the company’s “football spokesman” and will work with the G8RTech design team on upcoming proprietary technology “to revolutionize player health and safety,” the startup said.

Last month, the Giants exercised Thibodeaux’s $14.1 million fifth-year option for the 2026 season.

“We’re thrilled to work with Kayvon to improve athlete safety and also proud that we can enhance his safety as he continues his amazing career,” G8RTech Founder and CEO Carter Hogg said in a statement. “Kayvon’s insights will allow us to continue to provide better protection to athletes at all levels and across a multitude of sports.”

Thibodeaux called health and safety “high priorities for me as a football player.”

“Getting the opportunity to create cutting-edge equipment that gives athletes another layer of protection and serving on the player safety committee are responsibilities that I do not take lightly,” the edge rusher added in a statement. “I’m excited to continue having meaningful conversations with G8RTech.”

Launched in 2023

Dallas Innovates first wrote about G8RTech back in June 2023. At that time, Hogg’s invention was called G8RSkin PPE. It acted as a “balaclava”-like shell used under helmets, and was said to reduce concussions in contact sports by more than 60%.

Later in 2023, G8RTech launched G8RSkin Ice, a neck covering “engineered to significantly decrease the risk of injury to hockey players, especially with regard to concussions and lacerations.”

Hogg says the company’s balaclavas are made of antimicrobial and sweat-wicking materials and feature a proprietary, patent-pending technology and design. They’re intended to “reduce the movement of the skull and redistribute energy” during collisions and whiplash events.

The original G8RSkin was tested in the Helmet Lab of the Virginia Tech Center for Injury Prevention, where results demonstrated as much as a 61.57% reduction in concussion risk for a side collision.

Second-generation product rollout

G8RTech recently launched the second generation of its G8RSkin product line, saying it improves comfort and fit while integrating a specialized cooling fabric that reduces core body temperature during play.

The new product line include the Lux, Ark, and Shiesty. The Lux—designed for under-the-helmet use—is the lightweight low profile solution Thibodeaux will wear during the 2025 NFL season.

The updated version of the G8RSkin Shiesty works for both under the helmet and standalone use, whereas the G8RSkin Ark, designed for standalone use in non-helmeted sports, has what the company calls “a more robust design.”

Hogg called Thibodeaux’s addition to the G8RTech team “an amazing milestone in our journey to improve the livelihoods of athletes both during and after their careers. We’re really excited to work with him and can’t wait to see him compete this season.”

Hitting the shelves at Dick’s—and snagging Cornelius Bennett for advisory board, too

In other G8RTech news, the company says its product line will be available at Dick’s Sporting Goods starting in June. 

And the brand has tackled yet another high-profile NFL star for its advisory board. The company told us that Cornelius Bennett—the former Buffalo Bills linebacker, NFL defensive player of the year, and College Football Hall of Famer—has also joined G8RTech’s advisory board and player safety committee.

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