American footballers: what's with those NANCY-BOY helmets???somebody please tell me!?

down under, we play a game with real men, called football (sans the cute little 'elmets) and they look so rugged and manly. so why the need for helmets in this funny little game you play over there. (ps. 'yay we won' or 'boo hoo we lost' does not therein constitute a question either so please refrain from pretending that it does. the rest of the world couldn't care any less im afraid).