**The Technology Behind the Game: How the NFL is Using Tech to Connect with Fans and Keep Athletes Safe**

As the big game approaches, fans are eager to know what technologies will be used behind the scenes to make this year's event even more memorable. From training to pandemic protocols, the National Football League (NFL) has been using a range of innovative technologies to connect with fans and keep athletes safe.

**Training: The Importance of Data-Driven Fitness**

One area where technology is playing a crucial role is in player training. Many elite players, including Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, are using wearable fitness trackers called Whoop. These devices track a player's vitals, including heart rate, respiratory rate, and sleep patterns, as well as provide calculations of strain, which measures the amount of physical stress a player is putting on their body. The data from these wearables can be shared with coaches and trainers, allowing them to tailor training sessions to specific players' needs. This approach has already seen over 1,000 NFL players turn to Whoop to improve their physical conditioning.

**Mental Toughness: Virtual Reality Software for Athletes**

Football players also need to be mentally strong, and virtual reality (VR) software is being used by six NFL teams to help with this aspect of training. Players typically wear VR headsets during drills, which allows them to practice making decisions in high-pressure scenarios without the physical strain of actual game play. The goal of this technology is to give athletes an immersive learning experience that replicates real movements and decision-making processes, ultimately improving their performance at game time.

**Tracking Player Performance: RFID Sensors Embedded in Uniforms**

Another area where technology is being used is in tracking player performance during games. Every NFL player's uniform now contains two or three nickel-sized sensors, known as radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, made by Zebra. These sensors measure a player's running speed, distance traveled, and other stats in real-time, providing valuable data for coaches, scouts, and broadcasters. The data from these sensors is also embedded inside the footballs themselves, allowing for even more accurate tracking of ball placement on the field.

**Enhancing the Fan Experience**

The use of RFID sensors has a significant impact on the fan experience as well. Broadcasters now have access to a wealth of statistics and data that can be used in their broadcasts, providing fans with a more robust and immersive viewing experience. Fans themselves can also dig deeper into player performance using online platforms, making it easier for them to follow their favorite players and build their fantasy teams.

**Mitigating the Risk of COVID-19: Contact Tracing Technology**

One of the most significant challenges facing the NFL this season has been the pandemic, which has highlighted the importance of contact tracing technology. To mitigate the risk of a COVID-19 outbreak, players and personnel are wearing small portable sensors called proximity recording devices when they're on the clock practicing playing a game or traveling with the team. These devices record information on who is near each other for what length of time, allowing coaches to identify potential close contacts and take action to prevent further transmission.

The proximity tracking devices use unique ID tags that are not linked to individual players' names, ensuring the privacy of location data. This technology has proven invaluable in identifying who else came into contact with a sick player, making it easier for them to isolate and reducing the risk of further transmission.

**Exploring Tech Beyond the Game**

For fans at home, there is still more to discover when it comes to the technologies used behind the scenes. In our next video, we'll be exploring tech that allows fans to watch the game in ways they never could before. From innovative broadcasting techniques to immersive fan experiences, stay tuned for more insights into the cutting-edge technologies driving the NFL forward.

**A Final Word from Clay Matthews**

As I reflect on the many ways technology is shaping the NFL, it's amazing to see how far the game has come. The integration of advanced technologies such as wearable fitness trackers, virtual reality software, and proximity tracking devices is revolutionizing every aspect of the sport. As an avid fan myself, I'm excited to see what the future holds for this incredible league. Make sure to check out our next video in this series, where we'll delve into the tech that fans at home can use to watch the game like never before.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enwelcome to tech behind the game i'm clay matthews the big game is approaching so let's go behind the scenes and take a look at the technology that drives so many aspects of the sport from training to the current pandemic and beyond even in these crazy times the league uses tech to connect with fans and keep athletes safe this year i was especially interested in the contact tracing technology the league used to keep teams as safe as they could throughout the season here's car to tell us more clay as you know training is everything in the nfl the way to get better stronger and stay healthier some of the most elite players in the game like the kansas city chiefs patrick mahomes are strapping on whoop fitness monitors to keep track of all of their vitals heart rate respiratory rate sleep and even strain that's the calculation of how much stress you're putting on your body then whoops algorithms will calculate how much sleep and recovery time a player needs all of this data can be shared with coaches and trainers to make sure their players aren't overworking their bodies more than 1 000 players from the nfl have turned to whoop over the last few seasons to improve their physical conditioning but of course football players have to be mentally strong too six nfl teams are using virtual reality software from striver to help get their players heads in the game a player typically a quarterback but sometimes a linebacker or kicker would wear the vr headset and then go through drills to practice making decisions in high pressure scenarios this allows them to get in those extra reps outside of practice while giving their bodies a rest striver develops the software and produces the videos that athletes are seeing inside their headsets the goal is to give them an immersive learning experience where they can replicate real movements and decisions in order to improve these behaviors at game time and that's why experts say that virtual reality can be more effective than the traditional watching of videos to prepare and when it comes to game day of course these players want to learn how their hard work has paid off that's why every nfl player's uniform has two or three nickel-sized sensors embedded just under their shoulder pads these radio frequency identification or rfid tags made by zebra measure the player's running speed distance travel and a host of other stats the real-time data these sensors record can help the players train coaches strategize and scouts recruit and it's not just the players wearing the chips but the equipment too zebra's sensors are also embedded inside the footballs for the most accurate real-time information of ball placement on the field all of this data adds up to a more enhanced experience for you the fans broadcasters have more stats at their fingertips for a more robust broadcast and fans can dig as deep as they like into the numbers to follow their favorite players place educated sports bets and build their fantasy teams now finally playing a contact sport in the midst of a global pandemic certainly has its challenges but the nfl is trying to mitigate risk of a coven 19 outbreak by taking a high-tech approach to contact tracing the process of identifying who a sick person might have unknowingly infected this season players and personnel wear a small portable sensor called a proximity recording device from connection when they're on the clock practicing playing a game or traveling with the team the device records information on who is near each other and for what length of time then should someone test positive for covid19 it's easy to identify who else came into contact with them and needs to isolate in the interest of privacy location data is never recorded the devices are given unique id tags and not linked to the player's names clay back to you that was great cara it's amazing to see how far the game has come and i'm excited to see how it continues to evolve make sure to check out our next video in the series where we'll explore tech that fans at home can use to watch the game in ways they never could before i'm clay matthews and i'll see you thenwelcome to tech behind the game i'm clay matthews the big game is approaching so let's go behind the scenes and take a look at the technology that drives so many aspects of the sport from training to the current pandemic and beyond even in these crazy times the league uses tech to connect with fans and keep athletes safe this year i was especially interested in the contact tracing technology the league used to keep teams as safe as they could throughout the season here's car to tell us more clay as you know training is everything in the nfl the way to get better stronger and stay healthier some of the most elite players in the game like the kansas city chiefs patrick mahomes are strapping on whoop fitness monitors to keep track of all of their vitals heart rate respiratory rate sleep and even strain that's the calculation of how much stress you're putting on your body then whoops algorithms will calculate how much sleep and recovery time a player needs all of this data can be shared with coaches and trainers to make sure their players aren't overworking their bodies more than 1 000 players from the nfl have turned to whoop over the last few seasons to improve their physical conditioning but of course football players have to be mentally strong too six nfl teams are using virtual reality software from striver to help get their players heads in the game a player typically a quarterback but sometimes a linebacker or kicker would wear the vr headset and then go through drills to practice making decisions in high pressure scenarios this allows them to get in those extra reps outside of practice while giving their bodies a rest striver develops the software and produces the videos that athletes are seeing inside their headsets the goal is to give them an immersive learning experience where they can replicate real movements and decisions in order to improve these behaviors at game time and that's why experts say that virtual reality can be more effective than the traditional watching of videos to prepare and when it comes to game day of course these players want to learn how their hard work has paid off that's why every nfl player's uniform has two or three nickel-sized sensors embedded just under their shoulder pads these radio frequency identification or rfid tags made by zebra measure the player's running speed distance travel and a host of other stats the real-time data these sensors record can help the players train coaches strategize and scouts recruit and it's not just the players wearing the chips but the equipment too zebra's sensors are also embedded inside the footballs for the most accurate real-time information of ball placement on the field all of this data adds up to a more enhanced experience for you the fans broadcasters have more stats at their fingertips for a more robust broadcast and fans can dig as deep as they like into the numbers to follow their favorite players place educated sports bets and build their fantasy teams now finally playing a contact sport in the midst of a global pandemic certainly has its challenges but the nfl is trying to mitigate risk of a coven 19 outbreak by taking a high-tech approach to contact tracing the process of identifying who a sick person might have unknowingly infected this season players and personnel wear a small portable sensor called a proximity recording device from connection when they're on the clock practicing playing a game or traveling with the team the device records information on who is near each other and for what length of time then should someone test positive for covid19 it's easy to identify who else came into contact with them and needs to isolate in the interest of privacy location data is never recorded the devices are given unique id tags and not linked to the player's names clay back to you that was great cara it's amazing to see how far the game has come and i'm excited to see how it continues to evolve make sure to check out our next video in the series where we'll explore tech that fans at home can use to watch the game in ways they never could before i'm clay matthews and i'll see you thenwelcome to tech behind the game i'm clay matthews the big game is approaching so let's go behind the scenes and take a look at the technology that drives so many aspects of the sport from training to the current pandemic and beyond even in these crazy times the league uses tech to connect with fans and keep athletes safe this year i was especially interested in the contact tracing technology the league used to keep teams as safe as they could throughout the season here's car to tell us more clay as you know training is everything in the nfl the way to get better stronger and stay healthier some of the most elite players in the game like the kansas city chiefs patrick mahomes are strapping on whoop fitness monitors to keep track of all of their vitals heart rate respiratory rate sleep and even strain that's the calculation of how much stress you're putting on your body then whoops algorithms will calculate how much sleep and recovery time a player needs all of this data can be shared with coaches and trainers to make sure their players aren't overworking their bodies more than 1 000 players from the nfl have turned to whoop over the last few seasons to improve their physical conditioning but of course football players have to be mentally strong too six nfl teams are using virtual reality software from striver to help get their players heads in the game a player typically a quarterback but sometimes a linebacker or kicker would wear the vr headset and then go through drills to practice making decisions in high pressure scenarios this allows them to get in those extra reps outside of practice while giving their bodies a rest striver develops the software and produces the videos that athletes are seeing inside their headsets the goal is to give them an immersive learning experience where they can replicate real movements and decisions in order to improve these behaviors at game time and that's why experts say that virtual reality can be more effective than the traditional watching of videos to prepare and when it comes to game day of course these players want to learn how their hard work has paid off that's why every nfl player's uniform has two or three nickel-sized sensors embedded just under their shoulder pads these radio frequency identification or rfid tags made by zebra measure the player's running speed distance travel and a host of other stats the real-time data these sensors record can help the players train coaches strategize and scouts recruit and it's not just the players wearing the chips but the equipment too zebra's sensors are also embedded inside the footballs for the most accurate real-time information of ball placement on the field all of this data adds up to a more enhanced experience for you the fans broadcasters have more stats at their fingertips for a more robust broadcast and fans can dig as deep as they like into the numbers to follow their favorite players place educated sports bets and build their fantasy teams now finally playing a contact sport in the midst of a global pandemic certainly has its challenges but the nfl is trying to mitigate risk of a coven 19 outbreak by taking a high-tech approach to contact tracing the process of identifying who a sick person might have unknowingly infected this season players and personnel wear a small portable sensor called a proximity recording device from connection when they're on the clock practicing playing a game or traveling with the team the device records information on who is near each other and for what length of time then should someone test positive for covid19 it's easy to identify who else came into contact with them and needs to isolate in the interest of privacy location data is never recorded the devices are given unique id tags and not linked to the player's names clay back to you that was great cara it's amazing to see how far the game has come and i'm excited to see how it continues to evolve make sure to check out our next video in the series where we'll explore tech that fans at home can use to watch the game in ways they never could before i'm clay matthews and i'll see you then\n"