Football Shoulder Pads

There are two styles of football shoulder pads: cantilevered and noncantilevered. Cantilevered shoulder pads are typically used by offensive linemen, linebackers, and sometimes defensive linemen. They are bigger to protect the shoulders during blocking and tackling. Noncantilevered shoulder pads are smaller and lighter than cantilevered ones. The padding covers the collarbone to allow for a larger range of motion. Quarterbacks, receivers, and youth players prefer this type of padding.

Properly fitting shoulder pads should sit comfortably on your shoulders and give you roughly 1" of padding on your shoulder. They should completely cover your upper shoulders and sternum and not pinch your collarbone or neck.