AI use in the NFL

[Spottswoode]

First thread, so be kind.

We know that AI is infiltrating almost every aspect of our daily lives and is rapidly growing in the NFL. We also know that every team is always looking for an edge with everything from player evaluations to marketing.

Wall Street firms are some of the earliest adopters and are masters at leveraging AI to develop statistical methods that influence everything from public sentiment to new derivative types. They employ armies of quants who are the brightest mathematical minds in the world and are some of the most valued employees. Quants are really the engine driving Wall Street.

- How do you envision AI impacting the NFL in the future?
- Do you envision a day when NFL franchises will employ teams of quants? (maybe it’s already happening)
- Do you envision a NFL future where mathematicians, computer models, and simulations will be valued as much as the human element?

For the record, I am not optimistic about the future with AI. But then again, I am old.

 

[jazzcat22]

Jerry is working on having his brain converted to AI. Jerry Lives!

I can see teams using AI for salary cap projections and scenarios. Or even used to create mock drafts and draft scenarios.
But it is still only as good as the information input.

Analytics are already a form of AI anyway IMO.
But it still comes down to talent and execution and decision making form the coaches on the field.

 

[Sarek]

The combination of AI/Quantum/Robotics will change everything including the NFL.

 

[Praxit]

....Jerry, I'm your father!

 

[BoyzBlaster]

Jerry is working on having his brain converted to AI. Jerry Lives!

I can see teams using AI for salary cap projections and scenarios. Or even used to create mock drafts and draft scenarios.
But it is still only as good as the information input.

Analytics are already a form of AI anyway IMO.
But it still comes down to talent and execution and decision making form the coaches on the field.

I honestly think he is such an egomaniac he may do something like this. As in create a robot version of himself that uses AI to "think" (Steven Jones air quotes) like him and in his will it says the robot makes all future decisions about the team. It would be so perfectly Jerry. I am 100% serious.

 

[beware_d-ware]

I don't really see a use case for it in the NFL.

If we're talking about "AI" as being LLMs, they're basically a smarter autocomplete that you have on your phone. They create reasonable-sounding gibberish. An LLM could create a mock draft from a prompt, but it might slip a player from last year's class in, or have a team drafting a tight end Top 10 when they already have a Pro Bowler there. It doesn't know any context.

The real game changer as far as technology, IMO, is VR. It allows players to take "live reps" at full speed in scenarios their coaches create, then pause, dissect, rewind, and repeat that same play. It's like a marriage between the practice field and the film room.

 

[fivetwos]

Who exactly is this Al guy?

Is it short for Albert, or Alfonso?

 

[shabazz]

First thread, so be kind.

We know that AI is infiltrating almost every aspect of our daily lives and is rapidly growing in the NFL. We also know that every team is always looking for an edge with everything from player evaluations to marketing.

Wall Street firms are some of the earliest adopters and are masters at leveraging AI to develop statistical methods that influence everything from public sentiment to new derivative types. They employ armies of quants who are the brightest mathematical minds in the world and are some of the most valued employees. Quants are really the engine driving Wall Street.

- How do you envision AI impacting the NFL in the future?
- Do you envision a day when NFL franchises will employ teams of quants? (maybe it’s already happening)
- Do you envision a NFL future where mathematicians, computer models, and simulations will be valued as much as the human element?

For the record, I am not optimistic about the future with AI. But then again, I am old.

Hopefully we're still going to have coaches like Dan Cambell that will still make crucial decision from their guts.

As the old guard goes away, I'm sure the majority of young coaches will live and die by AI driven analytics and a analysis

 

[JoeKing]

If AI can watch the action and determine when the first down marker has been reached, I'm all for it.

 

[maryquality]

Waiting for the day when AI and robots take over the world!! Then we can send someone back in time to prevent the apocolyspe!!

 

[FanofJerry]

I don't really see a use case for it in the NFL.

If we're talking about "AI" as being LLMs, they're basically a smarter autocomplete that you have on your phone. They create reasonable-sounding gibberish. An LLM could create a mock draft from a prompt, but it might slip a player from last year's class in, or have a team drafting a tight end Top 10 when they already have a Pro Bowler there. It doesn't know any context.

The real game changer as far as technology, IMO, is VR. It allows players to take "live reps" at full speed in scenarios their coaches create, then pause, dissect, rewind, and repeat that same play. It's like a marriage between the practice field and the film room.

The VR thing is a good point.

If you can create a really good simulation where the action is faster than in the NFL, you could train QBs to process faster.

Since processing seems to be such a huge complaint amongst haters...VR could simulate a situation that speeds up a QBs processing.

Unless everyone think presnap processing is the important element and not post snap.

I'm talking more about first second and third read processing.

On the contrary, I played a first person shooter game online for about 4 years, never really sped up my quickness. Maybe I got situationally better and used proper weapons in a quicker time...but ability to shoot targets quicker never really sped up after I learned the game after about 9 months.

The VR, as far as for players...I think you can eek out some gains.

The front office stuff in sure it could do wonders in areas.

I think AI leaning into its 'better information' philosophy can maybe get things wrong. The situation where a team is down by 15 points with not a lot of time left in the game, and the computer wants to go for 2 points after first touchdown is a questionable move.

Also, is it able to take into account injuries and/or tired players the coach is trying to attack on the other team?

Lots of variables

 

[dupree89]

i think computers and cell phones are just a fad. Both will go the way of the hula hoop, slinky and rubiks cube

 

[John813]

I mean analytics and AI have a role in the NFL.
Performance Analysis. Strategies with the players you have on the roster.
Models to simulate game scenarios.In game decisions.
Wouldn't shock me if AI is being used in the draft evaluation to a certain degree.

AI was being used with AWS to try to prevent injuries. Used real time data and simulations to develop simulations to identify injury risks.

2 years ago BYU students were using AI to see if they could analyze game tape to determine formations, movements etc to form counter strategies.
Think early on they had 90% accuracy.


Dallas has hired analytic based staff over the years. IMO no doubt to get AI more involved either in player acquisition or game strategies.

 

[TexasBacon]

Who exactly is this Al guy?

Is it short for Albert, or Alfonso?

 

[Bullflop]

H-m-m, it appears AI is here to stay, like it or not! Let's hope it's used to advantage and not to be doing anything outlandish, now and in the future. It can be used to make ugly old farts look better, so perhaps that's one good use for all of us old folks, huh?? Anyway, welcome to the Zone, Spotts!! Congratulations on managing to survive as long as you have . . .
I can appreciate how challenging that is!

 

[Spottswoode]

Jerry is working on having his brain converted to AI. Jerry Lives!

I can see teams using AI for salary cap projections and scenarios. Or even used to create mock drafts and draft scenarios.
But it is still only as good as the information input.

Analytics are already a form of AI anyway IMO.
But it still comes down to talent and execution and decision making form the coaches on the field.

Coming from the medical field, AI is revolutionizing our industry in many ways.

Two simple examples:
- Having the ability to review every clinical study or trial ever conducted has completely changed diagnostic speed, accuracy, decision-making, and outcomes predictions. No human will ever be able to match that.

- Last week I attended a presentation discussing how AI is being used in the pharmaceutical industry to consider everything from personality traits to historical behaviors to predict and direct future interactions.

While I agree there is a learning process, that process is growing exponentially every day. And I’m not suggesting it will necessarily influence in-game decisions. But I do see parallels to my field.

 

[FanofJerry]

Here is a visual example of math being used in sports:

The Luka Mavs 2020 to 2024...slow methodical offense with an android facilitating

2025 Mavs with a focus on broken rhythm play and transition baskets

Not gonna lie...I like the faster pace play. Luka offense was beautiful, yet boring....but can't deny its effectiveness.

Like, is there a situation where math makes a sport so boring it kills its revenue...basically cannibalizing itself because of its math and logic? Mavs forums seemed to have a lot of folks that got bored with Luka dribbling for 20 seconds. Today's Mavs are arguably a more fun product.

If it's a duality of sport and business, at what point do you listen to money(fans preference for style of play) over winning(boring, slow, methodical)?

 

[Spottswoode]

I don't really see a use case for it in the NFL.

If we're talking about "AI" as being LLMs, they're basically a smarter autocomplete that you have on your phone. They create reasonable-sounding gibberish. An LLM could create a mock draft from a prompt, but it might slip a player from last year's class in, or have a team drafting a tight end Top 10 when they already have a Pro Bowler there. It doesn't know any context.

The real game changer as far as technology, IMO, is VR. It allows players to take "live reps" at full speed in scenarios their coaches create, then pause, dissect, rewind, and repeat that same play. It's like a marriage between the practice field and the film room.

I agree that VR will also play a role in the future but the AI use I am talking about is much more targeted and specialized than your example. You are describing a more simplistic and general use case for Joe Q Public.

Every major corporation in America (and likely the world) is or has incorporated AI into their business processes. And the use cases are evolving constantly. Many people would be surprised at how much of an influence AI has on their daily lives without their knowledge. And it’s only going to get bigger.

By the way, I am a robot.