Schools Embrace Caps to Protect Kids’ Brains and Save Football

At McCallum High School in Austin, almost one in 10 football players suffered a concussion last season, including sophomore defensive back Ethan Roberts. In the Knights’ final game, a collision sent his helmet slamming into a teammate’s knee.

Roberts crumpled to the turf unconscious. When he came to, he was yanked out of the game. He spent the rest of the night on the bench, suffering from blurry vision.

“I wasn’t able to do anything for three, three-and-a-half weeks,” said Roberts, who is now 17.

McCallum’s football program, which includes about 100 players across freshman, junior varsity and varsity teams, ...