The former Miami Dolphins player and projected 2028 Olympic flag football competitor becomes the first signature athlete for the Virginia Tech 5-Star rated LOOP headband .
Flag football is no longer a backyard game. With its inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics now confirmed and a wave of elite athletes transitioning from tackle football into the sport, the question of player safety at the highest levels of flag competition has never been more relevant. Guardian Sports — the Atlanta-based company behind some of the most credible protective gear in the sport — is answering that question with its most significant athlete partnership to date.
The company has officially named Tyler Davis, known as "TD," as the first-ever LOOP Signature Athlete in Guardian Sports history. It's a milestone that signals both the brand's ambitions and the growing seriousness of flag football as a professional and Olympic discipline.
TD's football pedigree runs deep. The son of Clarence Davis — former Oakland Raiders running back — Tyler carved out his own professional career as a multi-position player for the Miami Dolphins in the NFL and the BC Lions in the CFL, with experience spanning wide receiver, running back, and defensive back. That versatility defined his approach to the game.
His transition to flag football began through local leagues in Austin, Texas, but it didn't stay local for long. Elite tournament performances caught the attention of Team USA coaching staff, and by 2024 Davis had earned a spot on the national roster. With the 2028 Olympics on the horizon, he is currently projected to be part of the Olympic squad — making him one of the most high-profile figures in the sport's defining moment.
"I'm excited to join Guardian Sports as their debut LOOP Signature Athlete," Davis said. "As a professional flag football player and someone who has been on the field for over a decade, I know that athlete safety should be treated as a top priority."
The LOOP is Guardian Sports' flag football headband — and it's not a branding exercise. The product holds a Virginia Tech 5-Star safety rating, the most respected independent benchmark in sports head protection. Engineered to reduce peak linear acceleration compared to playing bare-headed across all impact locations, the LOOP delivers meaningful protective technology in a format built specifically for the speed and style of flag football. Its occipital hinge fit system improves coverage around one of the head's most vulnerable areas while maintaining the lightweight, breathable, low-profile feel that flag athletes require.
For a sport that has historically operated without standardized protective gear, the LOOP represents a genuine step forward in how flag football treats athlete safety at the elite level.
Guardian Sports was founded in 2010 with a singular mission: better protect athletes at every level of play. The company's flagship Guardian Cap — originally built to reduce head impacts during football practice — has since expanded to game-day use across all levels of the sport. The LOOP, PEARL lacrosse balls, FLEX chinstrap, and bio-based turf INFILL round out a product portfolio that reflects a consistent commitment to safety-driven innovation across multiple sports.
CEO Erin Hanson framed the partnership in those terms: "We're thrilled to move forward in this next chapter expanding LOOP's leadership with the best in the industry. TD's extensive sports experience and pacesetting future are a testament to the importance of sports safety."
This partnership is well-timed and well-matched. Flag football is heading to the Olympic stage in 2028 and the conversation around player safety in the sport is just beginning. Guardian Sports is positioning itself at the center of that conversation with a credible product — Virginia Tech 5-Star rated, purpose-built for flag — and a credible athlete who has lived the importance of protection across a decade-long professional career. As more NFL and elite athletes migrate toward flag football, expect safety gear to become a serious category. Guardian Sports and TD are getting there first.
Learn more at guardiansports.com.
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