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          New England Patriots

          Brady on switching helmets

          The differences are minor, but you might have noticed Tom Brady's helmet had a slightly different look in the last two weeks (left) as compared to earlier in the season (right). AP Photo, US Presswire
          • Mike Reiss, ESPN Staff WriterOct 26, 2012, 11:57 AM ET
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              Mike Reiss is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the New England Patriots. Reiss has covered the Patriots since 1997 and joined ESPN in 2009. In 2019, he was named Massachusetts Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. You can follow Reiss on Twitter at @MikeReiss.
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          LONDON -- Patriots followers might have noticed that quarterback Tom Brady has worn a different helmet in the past two games.

          He explained the switch during his Friday morning news conference upon the team's arrival in London.

          "I’m just trying some different things out, nothing really in particular," he said. "You may see the old one back this weekend. We didn’t have very good games the last time I wore that helmet [so maybe] I’m going to go back to the old one."

          The changing of helmets and/or facemasks is a minor detail, but for creature-of-habit quarterbacks like Brady, it's not a decision that is made lightly.

          As Brady has described in the past, he's seeking the best combination of comfort and safety.

          Some of the newer helmets offer the best protection against head injuries, yet much like a baseball player breaking in a glove, there is a getting-used-to process that sometimes needs to take place.

          For those into such details, it's something to keep an eye out for in Sunday's game against the Rams. The newer helmet has little openings on the crown, while the older one does not.