About Riddell

If you're a sports enthusiast, or have kids who play on local teams, you're probably already familiar with Riddell Brand sporting gear. Best known for their football helmets, Riddell manufactures everything sport-related: safety gear, practice equipment, and even footwear for football, soccer, lacrosse, baseball, tennis and wrestling. The official helmet of the NFL and worn by the NCAA, Riddell has long been the industry standard in safe, protective sports equipment.

It all started with company founder John Tate Riddell, who invented the first removable cleat and then the world's first plastic suspension football helmet back in 1939. The innovative helmet was invented for the football field, but the United States Army found another use for Riddell's unique invention: using it to protect U.S. troops during World War II.

Riddell's dream was to start a company that made sports equipment safer, better and more user-friendly for athletes of all types. And that's just what he did, creating a major company from scratch that held to the standards and ideals Riddell brought to his very first high school football game. Now, Riddell gear is seen on every type of playing field there is, from junior football and baseball leagues all the way on up to professional teams.