Is a bandana that is completely covered by the helmet considered illegal equipment?

Personal opinion (without looking it up in the rule book)- No, as long as it is completely covered by the helmet and there are no knots protuding outside the helmet for someone to grab onto.

Our crew makes a point to discuss this with both the coaches in our pregame.

Per rule (NFHS and NCAA) no.
However, I've heard some NFHS states do not allow/permit them. Which ones, I don't really know as it does not apply where I work.

REPLY: Tom is correct...in fact, a few years back the Federation had a rule proposed that would have added bandanas to the list of illegal equipment. When it came to a vote, the proposal was defeated.

The reason it keeps coming up is that the helmet manufacturers say that the helmets are not manufactured to be wearing a bandana, or anything else, underneath. Therefore the warrantee is void, and the manufacturers will fight any claim for injury that occurs to a player wearing things under the helmet.
City of Seattle schools had a rule against a few years ago but they dropped it.

Several years ago, we were told that players in NC were not allowed to wear bandanas, do-rags or skull caps. We later learned that the decision was based on gang related activity at a school.

There is a league here, the OVFL, that will not allow bandanas.

Our Association ( Green Bay Officials Association) and the WIAA (Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association) last year instructed us to not allow a player to wear anything under the helmet unless it was approved by the manufacturer. These instructions were to the coaches and officials in the annual football meetings. The presenter noted the manufacturer's stance regarding injuries.

As ump, I will instruct coaches and players that they cannot be worn, not part of the legal equipment. Our state meetings are in August. I will see if the direction has changed then.

What do these helmet manufacturers say about a players hair style?
Is it "cut" to their specifications? Do they make helmets that fit the wide range of lengths and styles? I doubt it.

If they really (the Mfg companies) don't approve the wearing of under helmet head items, including long hair why then is it that the safety conscious NF rules committee people have not come out right and ruled against these items?
My educated guess is that they don't beleive there is a problem and therefore have not ruled it is illegal equipment. Have there been any documented cases of head trauma related to the wearing of such an item? I know of none.

Maybe time will change that way of thinking, but at the present time, the items are legal equipment. Gang related reason are a totally different aminal and if so told to disallow such an item, I'd comply without a second thought.

Theisy, you may have a point but if your state association says they're illegal the you have to enforce it, simple as that.

I don't know of any trauma reports due to bandanas and the like, but I have not researched the topic. I'm guessing the mfg companies are "against" bandanas b/c the "helmets aren't made to protect a head with a bandana on it" since this would be a liability issue if someone got hurt. They are against it, I would imagine, more to protect their rear ends than anything else. That being said, I don't know why the NF and more state associations would not forbid bandanas under the helmets if only for the same reason.

I think this is a valid point Theisey, as is the hair issue.

I remember being told that they were illegal when I first started as an umpire but after being told that, I then looked it up and could not find anything that said that it is ilegal...