The American Football helmet has gone through many transitions since the days of leather helmets.
First off was the “chin strap.” Originally a thin piece of leather to protect the chin from splitting once the player made contact with the ground, it also kept the helmet attached to the athlete’s head.
The “face mask” was invented by Hall of Fame coach Paul Brown when he was the head coach of the Cleveland Browns. His All-Pro quarterback, Otto Graham, had sustained a severe slash on a savage hit while attempting to scramble. The result was 15 sutures stitched inside Graham’s mouth during halftime.