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Football players can choose from among a wide array of face masks. Each is designed to protect various parts of the face while providing players the visibility needed to play their position. Typically made of carbon steel with a protective coating, face masks are generally not interchangeable, meaning that helmet manufacturers have certain face masks that will fit only their helmets.

Open Cage
Open-cage face masks have no vertical bar above the nose that may obstruct vision, so they’re the preferred face masks of most skill-position players. They usually have two or three horizontal bars and a few vertical bars, but none of the vertical bars go above the nose inside the normal range of vision.

Manufacturers typically use acronyms to describe what areas the face mask best protects. Open-cage face masks will usually be labeled as ROPO, or reinforced oral protection only; EGOP, or eyeglass and oral protection; OPO, or oral protection only; EGJOP, or eyeglass, jaw and oral protection; JOP, or jaw and oral protection; and RJOP, or reinforced jaw and oral protection.

Closed Cage
Closed-cage face masks are usually the choice of linemen because they offer a long vertical bar that runs straight up the middle of the face mask, above the nose, to the top of the face mask. They typically have two to four horizontal bars to keep other players’ fingers out of the face and eyes. Closed-cage face masks will usually be seen as NOPO, or nose and oral protection only, and NJOP, or nose, jaw and oral protection.

Reinforced
Most face masks are reinforced. This refers to the extra horizontal bar at the top of the face mask that adds strength and allows for better spreading of energy throughout the face mask.

Double Wire
This refers to added horizontal bars on the part of the face mask that protects the face. The bar or bars add stability and strength and decrease the size of the opening in the face mask, so that hands, fingers and feet are less likely to get to the face.

Single Wire
This means there is only a single horizontal bar protecting the face. Traditionally, they suited skill-position players, who depend on better visibility. Single-wire face masks are not used much anymore because they offer little protection.

U-Bar Attached
Sometimes called a bull ring, the U-bar attaches to the upper part of the face mask. It’s normally used on open-cage face masks and is designed to help prevent other players from getting their fingers inside the face mask around the eyes and nose.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/167996-types-of-football-face-masks/#ixzz2DGya3tk9