To sorta answer one of the questions, some players treat their helmets like baseball players treat their gloves, the keep them for as long as possible. Here is a quote from USA Today February 22, 2006.
Carolina defensive tackle Brentson Buckner has owned one helmet since he joined the Panthers in 2001. "Even the padding's the same," he says. "I try to keep the same face mask, too, but (equipment manager) Jackie (Miles) always sneaks and changes that."
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