From Radio Signals to Impact Sensors – $143,000,000 Worth NFL Envisions the Next Big Thing in Future

The NFL is one of the most technologically advanced sports leagues in the world. The fast-paced nature of the sport and the high chances of player injury calls for the implementation of cutting-edge technology. While not everyone is in favor of new tech, believing that it will take away from the NFL’s tradition, the league is all for it. The NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell said in an interview with SkySports, “What has changed dramatically for us is technology. We are now seeing things that we couldn’t see [before] because of high-definition, super slo-mo and the number of cameras at a game.”

From having actual runners run up and down the stadium with player formation printouts, to radio signals being interfered with Madonna concert rehearsals, the NFL has come a long way in being a tech-driven sports league.

How tech helps in officiating the game

The official NFL Football Operations draft on “Technology and the Games” puts it aptly, “Television may have changed the league more than any other technology.” It has fueled a dramatic increase in the NFL’s popularity and profitability and spurred innovation in other areas such as instant replay.

When today we see coaches speak into mics, calling plays to the quarterback, it might be difficult to imagine a wildly different time. If coaches had to change tactics, they would have to substitute a player, sending a new one from the bench with new tactics. To overcome this, radio tech was first used by the Browns, but their version had severe faults. Sometimes, the QB would hear a nearby taxi dispatch instead of the head coach. To prevent such mixups, EFCs or Event Frequency Coordinators track and manage hundreds of frequencies to ensure anyone using a wireless microphone is on the correct channel to allow as many people as possible to access the bandwidth they need. 

Over at the Art McNally GameDay Central, the league monitors games and evaluates its officials and is the hub of the instant replay system. Used for the first time in a 1986 Browns vs. Bears game, the league took it down because it increased the length of the game and neither was the technology up to speed. However, since 2007, HD video combined with freeze-frame capability and TV cameras covering the game from all angles, give officials an unprecedented ability to get the calls right. But how has tech helped players?

Player concussion injuries down 35%!

Technology also helps in better protecting players from unnecessary risk. In an interview with SkySports, Roger Goodell stated that concussions were down 35% in 10 years. For players with a possible head injury, medical staff use X2 Biosystems’ concussion assessment app to determine whether a player should be allowed to return to the game. Radio-frequency identification (RFID) transmitters placed in each player’s shoulder pads and in the ball help in compiling those famous Next Gen Stats. The stats help recruiters and scouters make the right decisions and, on a lighter note, help fans make better decisions while playing fantasy football. 

It might be difficult to believe that as recently as 2013, players strategized using black-and-white printouts on the sidelines while the game was underway. But starting in the 2014 season, all teams use Microsoft Surface tablets during the game. The tabs gave them access to high-res color images. Players and coaches could now huddle on the sidelines, and strategize over their opponents’ formations.

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However, the NFL does not want to let modernity fully overshadow tradition. The archaic chain measurements during downs often add drama to the game. So much so that the NFL’s Game Operations Manual even mandates that chain crews and players stand away during the measurement to allow fans and television cameras to see it. Apart from that, now every aspect of the player can be quantified. Franchises can use player data to drop the payer from its roster or negotiate a lower-paying deal. As with all data-centric technology, the NFL also has to plan how it can balance players’ privacy concerns and franchises’ demands for more data. Where do your thoughts stand on this debate? Let us know in the comments below.

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