I vaguely remember at one point in time, and it might have been just for an exibition game, that the helmet of a quarterback was installed with a radio receiver that allowed the head coach to relay plays directly to the QB. This meant the QB could get the play without requiring hand signals, the QB going over to the side of the field, or having another player bring the play into the huddle.
Presumably that radio could also be used during the actual play itself (hey Joe, so and so is open).
Did this actually happen and could QB’s use this technology today?
Yes, NFL quarterbacks do have radio receivers in their helmets.
Presumably a coach could yell out information during a play, but I doubt a QB could understand anything when he’s running around or react to it quickly enough. It’s just as easy for the sidelines to yell out the information. I doubt that it would help much in that regard.
They are designed to make it easier for QBs to receive the play calls from the sidelines over the crowd noise.
To prevent coaches from talking to players, I thought I read in SI or saw on ESPN that the channel (or whatever) is cut off at a certain point on the play clock or when the play starts. I’m pretty sure the radio isn’t on all the time.
A few have two ways that are only active in between plays, utilizing some sort of kill switch, I believe.
The only time you can actively talk to someone over the radios is between plays while they are huddling.
They added these a few years ago and cut the time on the play clock at the same time in an effort to shorten the game time. As an aside they also quit stopping the clock every time someone went out of bounds(unless it was in the last few minutes of the 2nd and 4th quarters)
The coaches use Motorola GP350 radios to transmit plays and options to the QB via speakers set on either side of the helmet. They’re one-way; the quarterback can’t respond except by shouting or hand signals.
Incidentally, cops and security officers use the GP350 too.