Artificial intelligence (“AI”) and technology are on everyone’s mind these days, and for good reason—it’s changing the way we live, work, and now, how we play sports.[2] From sensors in helmets to predictive models analyzing every pass and tackle, the league has been gradually introducing AI into its playbook over the last few seasons.[3] But this year, AI is taking center stage, thanks to the latest innovations set to revolutionize player safety and performance. [4] The Digital Athlete and AI Powered Tackle Probability Model are two collaborations between the NFL and Amazon Web Services (“AWS”) that redefine how we will assess players’ performance and injuries to enhance gameplay. [5]
A New Player on the Field
The Digital Athlete uses AI and machine learning (“ML”) to create a 360-degree view of a player's health, performance, and injury risk.[6] Every play, every tackle, and every moment on the field is tracked and analyzed in real-time. These data points are used to generate information to help coaches and medical staff make smarter, faster decisions.[7]
With AWS processing nearly 100 million data points every week, it’s not just about what happens during the game—it’s about understanding how everything from weather to fatigue affects in-game performance and injury risks.[8] Player tracking data, gathered through sensors embedded in uniforms and helmets, merges with game footage to create simulations of in-game action. While this offers potential for injury prevention and performance enhancement, it also raises questions about potentially over-scrutinizing data and ignoring the value of instinct in high-pressure situations.[9]
The AWS AI-Powered Tackle Probability Model breaks down every tackle in real-time.[10] These analytics aid teams in identifying their most dependable tacklers and spotting the most evasive ball carriers.[11] Alongside providing tackling measurements, the current derivatives of this technology include various facets of offensive and defensive analysis, including (1) predicting when and where tackles are most likely to occur, (2) assessing the angles and speeds at which players approach each other, and (3) identifying vulnerabilities in defensive strategies.[12] These insights not only help teams optimize their on-field performance but also provide valuable data to medical staff for injury prevention.[13] But for all the game-winning potential of AI-powered injury prevention, the technology isn't without its controversies.
The Privacy Blitz: What Happens to All That Data?
With great power comes great responsibility, and in this case, the power of the Digital Athlete raises some serious questions about player consent and data privacy.[14]
While this technology could keep players healthier, it also opens the door to misuse.[15] Sure, the data is currently being used for injury prevention and performance optimization, but what happens if it's accessed with third parties—like advertisers or, even worse, insurers?[16] Imagine being denied insurance coverage because AI flagged you as a high-risk athlete.[17]
Without clear, informed consent and strict guidelines, players might not fully grasp how their data is being used, or who might profit from it.[18]
That’s where player unions, like the NFL Players Association (“NFLPA”), could step in. They’ll need to renegotiate collective bargaining agreements, the next due March 2031, to ensure that athletes have a say in how their data is used and that they get a cut of any profits.[19] After all, if teams are making decisions based on player data, shouldn’t players have ownership over that data?
The Unseen Opponent
With AI making calls on everything from performance to injury risk, there’s a very real chance that teams could start relying too heavily on data when negotiating contracts.[20] For instance, if the Digital Athlete flags a player as more likely to suffer an injury based on AI-driven risk models, teams might bench him, offer shorter contracts, or even reduce his salary. [21]
This becomes especially concerning for older players or those with a history of past injuries.[22] AI might interpret their physical data in a way that penalizes them during contract negotiations, potentially cutting careers short.[23] The NFLPA will likely need to push for transparency around how AI models are used in evaluating players, ensuring that human judgment and context aren’t thrown out the window in favor of cold, hard data.[24]
The Digital Athlete is here, and it’s changing the game—literally. By harnessing AI and data, the NFL is stepping into the future of player safety and performance optimization.[25] But with that leap forward comes the need to step back. The need to address significant legal and ethical concerns about privacy, consent, and fairness in how players are evaluated and compensated remains. For the NFL and its players, the challenge will be ensuring that AI is used as a tool to protect athletes, not as a tool to exploit their data or shortchange them in contract negotiations. If the league can strike the right balance, the Digital Athlete might just be the MVP we didn’t see coming.
Lili Trigilio (staff writer) is a 1L from Greensboro, NC. Prior to law school, she attended NC State University and she remains a lifelong Wolfpack sports fan. After law school, Lili hopes to work in corporate law, international law, or sports business.
References:
[1] Mario Verduzco, A Notebook Sitting on the Side of a Football Field, Unsplash, https://unsplash.com/photos/a-notebook-sitting-on-the-side-of-a-football-field-Rn6n5Lh1BdA (last visited Nov. 7, 2024).
[2] James A. Martin, How AI Is Helping the NFL Improve Player Safety, CIO (Oct. 26, 2023), https://www.cio.com/article/1306736/how-ai-is-helping-the-nfl-improve-player-safety.html.
[3] Id.
[4] Building a Digital Athlete, AWS Media & Entertainment Blog, https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/media/building-a-digital-athlete (Mar. 10, 2021).
[5] Beyond the Box Score: AWS and NFL AI-Powered Tackle Analysis, AWS Media & Entertainment Blog (Oct. 25, 2023), https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/media/beyond-the-box-score-aws-and-nfl-ai-powered-tackle-analysis/.
Building a Digital Athlete, AWS Media & Entertainment Blog, https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/media/building-a-digital-athlete (Mar. 10, 2021).
[6] Id.
[7] Id.
[8] Id.
[9] Chris Fore, Why NFL Coaches Can’t Rely on Data Alone: The Power of Intuition in Football, CoachFore.org (Aug. 15, 2024), https://coachfore.org/2024/08/15/why-nfl-coaches-cant-rely-on-data-alone-the-power-of-intuition-in-football/.
[10] Building a Digital Athlete, AWS Media & Entertainment Blog, https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/media/building-a-digital-athlete (Mar. 10, 2021).
[11] Beyond the Box Score: AWS and NFL AI-Powered Tackle Analysis, AWS Media & Entertainment Blog (Oct. 25, 2023), https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/media/beyond-the-box-score-aws-and-nfl-ai-powered-tackle-analysis/.
[12] Beyond the Box Score: AWS and NFL AI-Powered Tackle Analysis, AWS Media & Entertainment Blog (Oct. 25, 2023), https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/media/beyond-the-box-score-aws-and-nfl-ai-powered-tackle-analysis/.
[13] Id.
[14] Louise Matsakis, The Tricky Ethics of the NFL’s New Open Data Policy, Wired (Mar. 8, 2019), https://www.wired.com/story/the-tricky-ethics-of-the-nfls-new-open-data-policy/.
[15] Nancy Dreyer, Lessons on Data Collection and Curation from the NFL Injury Surveillance Program, Sports Health (July 2, 2019), https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6745812/#ack1
[16] Louise Matsakis, The Tricky Ethics of the NFL’s New Open Data Policy, Wired (Mar. 8, 2019), https://www.wired.com/story/the-tricky-ethics-of-the-nfls-new-open-data-policy/.
[17] Edgar E. Kausel, Santiago Ventura & Arturo Rodríguez, Outcome Bias in Subjective Ratings of Performance: Evidence from the (Football) Field, 75 J. Econ. Psychol. 102132 (2019), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joep.2018.12.006.
[18] Louise Matsakis, The Tricky Ethics of the NFL’s New Open Data Policy, Wired (Mar. 8, 2019), https://www.wired.com/story/the-tricky-ethics-of-the-nfls-new-open-data-policy/.
[19] Id.
NFLPA.com, How Long Does the Current CBA Go?, Nat'l Football League Players Ass'n, https://nflpa.com/faq/how-long-does-the-current-cba-go(last visited Nov. 7, 2024).
[20] Id.
[21] Mike Florio, Does the NFL Have an Age Discrimination Issue?, NBC Sports (Nov. 6, 2023), https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/does-the-nfl-have-an-age-discrimination-issue.
[22] Id.
[23] Nancy Dreyer, Lessons on Data Collection and Curation from the NFL Injury Surveillance Program, Sports Health (July 2, 2019), https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6745812/#ack1
[24] NFL Players Association, NFLPA Takes Ownership Stake in Sports Data Labs, Signs Groundbreaking Partnership to Transform Monetization Opportunities for NFL Player Performance Data, NFLPA (Oct. 30, 2023), https://nflpa.com/partners/posts/nflpa-takes-ownership-stake-in-sports-data-labs-signs-groundbreaking-partnership-to-transform-monetization-opportunities-for-nfl-player-performance-data.
[25] Id.