Football Rib Protectors & Padded Shirts

Football rib protection helps guard your sides and lower torso, especially useful for quarterbacks, receivers, and youth players. This collection features compression-fit shirts and padded vests with built-in rib coverage.

Standard shoulder pads don’t fully protect the ribs, and that’s where compression shirts and padded rib vests come in. These are worn under your gear and built to absorb contact across the ribs and lower torso without limiting movement. Quarterbacks and skill players use them most often, but any player taking shots to the side can benefit. Most shirts have built-in padding at the ribs, and some offer extra coverage at the chest, spine, or shoulders. Fit should be snug so the pads stay aligned - loose fabric won’t protect. This collection includes youth and adult sizes in streamlined, game-ready designs.

Football Rib Protectors FAQs

Who should wear a rib protector in football?

Quarterbacks and skill players tend to need extra rib protection, especially when they’re exposed during passes or open-field plays. Youth players also benefit, since hits can be less predictable and their bodies are still developing. If you’re getting sore around the ribs or taking hits in the side, it’s worth adding another layer under your pads.

What’s the difference between a padded shirt, a rib vest, and strap-on rib protectors?

Padded shirts are tight-fitting compression layers with rib padding built in - some also cover the chest or spine. Rib vests offer similar coverage in a slightly looser sleeveless style. Strap-on rib protectors attach to your shoulder pads and wrap around the torso; they’re bulkier but give more hard-shell coverage. Padded shirts move best with the body. Strap-ons protect more but add weight. Vests sit somewhere in between. Most players choose based on comfort, position, and how much impact they’re taking during play.

How should a rib protector shirt or vest fit?

Padding should sit directly over your ribs - tight enough to stay in place but not so snug that it limits breathing or movement. Compression shirts should feel like a second skin, with no sagging or shifting when you move. Vests should hug the torso without riding up or bunching under pads. If you're constantly adjusting it during practice, it’s probably not the right size or cut.