There is a certain subset of the population that cannot resist accessorizing their vehicles. You know who you are. Most of it is purely for show, including, in many cases, what's called a grill guard. These are especially popular on pickups. Even more so in rural areas, where they are considered more of a necessity. Drive down any street in my hometown and you'll see several.
In chrome:
In black:
With lights and winches built in:
Heck, there's even one on the team bus:
Around here, we call them cow-catchers. Because you don't want to catch a cow without one: