All those fist-pumping, end zone-dancing hot dogs in the NFL have a new way to keep their cool: air-conditioned shoulder pads.

Blowing cool, dry air underneath football pads after vigorous exercise appears to hold core temperature down, reduce heart rate and provide the player with a sense of being cooler, researchers at the University of Florida report.

The specially designed pads have been used during games (on the sidelines) by a number of NFL and college teams -- including the Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars and UCLA Bruins -- but hadn't been tested for their effects on actual temperature, says lead author MaryBeth Horodyski, director of research at the university's Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation.