NFL players and coaches will soon be leaning on artificial intelligence to collect information on the sidelines during a game. The league announced an expansion of its partnership with Microsoft on Wednesday, which will give teams better access to data and analysis in real time.
How long has the league been using tablets?
The NFL has been using custom-tailored Microsoft Surface tablets since the 2014 season to help coaches and players decipher their opponents’ plays between stints on the field. There are more than 2,300 tablets in use every Sunday across the league. New York Giants star pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux showed fans on TikTok exactly what kind of information they get.
“All we’re looking at is pictures,” Thibodeaux said in the video. “With the pictures, we can dissect what’s at the beginning of the play, the middle of the play, and the end of the play. Each down, each situation is labeled, so any play that I’m looking for, whether it’s the play number or it’s the actual down and distance, I can find it. Another great part is you can draw on it. So, if I’m at linebacker, or I’m at DB, I can show my coach what routes we’re in.”
What are the biggest upgrades for the tablets?
Thibodeaux and the rest of the league will now get upgrades, with Microsoft adding its Copilot and Azure AI technologies to the tablets for all 32 teams. There will be more than 2,500 tablets in circulation this year. Artificial intelligence will help coaches and players filter through things like snap counts, team formations and player substitutions to find what they need more easily, according to NFL Deputy Chief Information Officer Aaron Amendolia.
Those new devices are already being used in the preseason. Some are concerned that, while AI is helping teams by sorting and spitting out data, it’s not a far cry from AI calling plays and making changes in a team’s game strategy. Amendolia said that will not be the case, during an interview with CNBC.
“This is not AI making decisions. It’s not AI informing decisions. What it really is, is AI allowing people to get at information faster with less manual intervention,” Amendolia said.
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay was an early adopter of using technology to help with game-day preparation and in-game adjustments.
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The NFL’s Microsoft-powered sideline viewing system was recently upgraded with 2,500+ new PCs, providing AI assistance to roughly 1,800 players and 1,000 coaches and staff with real-time insights.
“This is a space that we’ve really leaned heavily into,” McVay said. “It’s coming, and it’s going to be a valuable tool. You can’t run away from it. This is an opportunity for us to say, in a league that has such small margins of victory week in and week out because of the level of competition, what are some of the ways that we can create edges or win in the margins?”
Where else will the league use AI?
The NFL and Microsoft have not disclosed the length or cost of the extension, but the deal will also support game day operations by helping teams track things like weather delays and technical equipment issues.
“Enhancing the league is a responsibility we take seriously, and Microsoft has been a trusted sideline technology partner for over a decade.” NFL Chief Information Officer Gary Brantley said in a press release. “With Microsoft’s AI technologies, including Copilot, we see tremendous opportunities to elevate the gameday experience for our clubs and deliver an even more compelling product to our fans.”
It seems the league is going all in on artificial intelligence. During the 2025 NFL Combine, coaches and scouts used Azure AI to evaluate more than 300 prospects. Microsoft said on Wednesday that clubs will soon be able to use AI for other tasks surrounding the NFL draft. It will also be used to assist with team finances, human resources and coordinating outside events.
Microsoft is also working with NFL teams to improve their practice sessions using AI to enhance their video tools. It will assist coaches with everything from player evaluations to injury assessments.
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Author: Chris Francis
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