NFL announces partnership with Alabama, UNC, Washington and Wisconsin
The NFL announced a partnership with four schools on Tuesday in Alabama, North Carolina, Washington, and Wisconsin. Players will have the chance to opt-in to the NFL’s novel program, attempting to measure on-field head impacts using mouthguard censors.
“The high-tech mouthguard sensors, which are currently used by players at 10 NFL clubs, are designed to collect kinematic data, including impact speed, direction, force, location and severity,” the NFL said in a release. “Insights gleaned from the data collected will help inform the NFL’s approach to injury reduction and decrease head impacts overall. The NFL’s application of data through better prediction of injury, rules changes and the continued advancement of better-performing equipment, like position-specific helmets, has helped improve the safety of the game.
Players at the four schools are already using the mouthguards this season, where independent engineering experts at BioCore from the NFL-NFLPA will “anonymize and analyze” the data.
Jennifer Langton, who is the NFL’s Senior Vice President of Health and Safety Innovation is overseeing the project. All four teams will receive a statistical analysis so they can improve their health and safety methods as well.
The NFL launched the mouthguard sensor program in 2019, being a part of the league’s $60 million commitment to promote health and safety initiatives. Partnering with Alabama, North Carolina, Washington, and Wisconsin is “expanding the borders” of where the NFL is able to collect data.
In the statement, the league says these four are just the first to become partners. The plan is to expand to more schools in the coming months and years.
NFL explains why Cam Hayward was not ejected
Speaking of healthy and safety, an NFL officiating crew was once again in hot water of the weekend. After sacking Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert it seemed as if Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Cam Hayward threw a punch.
While he was called for a personal foul, he was not ejected from the game. NFL Senior Vice President of Officiating Walt Anderson commented on the incident after the game, saying they agreed with the decision.
“The officials on the field threw a flag and called a personal foul,” Anderson said via Gilbert Manzano. “They separated the players on the field, and they announced a personal foul on 97 of Pittsburgh (Heyward). We confirmed with them that that’s what they had, the personal foul. We looked at it here in New York and just did not feel that the action rose to the level of a disqualification and further action by us.”