To perform at the very peak of their abilities, NFL athletes train hard, eat the best diet possible and, generally, keep in the best health and shape they can. Anything that can help them gain an edge (within the rules) is welcome. This is where sports science comes in. This area applies scientific principles to sports and exercise, achieving this through branches such as physiology, psychology and biomechanics or through an interdisciplinary approach to solve a real-world problem.
Sports science has become big in the NFL and its teams, in some way or other, have all incorporated sports science technology to improve their performance. Below is a look at the importance of sports science in the NFL, its benefits and at some of examples of sports science in the league.
The importance of sports science
NFL athletes are competing at such a high level that even the most marginal gain can make a big difference. When applied correctly, however, teams can improve not just marginally, but massively. Sports science takes scientific process and transforms it into something practical, achievable and empirical.
Benefiting the NFL players, teams and other athletes
Applying sports science has a range of benefits for both the players and their coaches.
Can monitor and improve performance
Ultimately, this is the main purpose of harnessing sports science, and the technology implemented enables coaches and players to gain all sorts of insights into their performance. One of the main tools used in the NFL is wearable GPS technology. Coaches can use it to monitor movements (speed, distance and acceleration). They can monitor intensity. They can monitor total load and demand of training. Using this data, coaches can devise suitable training plans and strategies to use the players effectively out on the grid.
Aid recovery from injury
The use of sports science and technology helps players to recover and coaches to make intelligent decisions about the players’ recovery. Coaches and physios can gauge whether a workload is too much, and also spot injuries before they occur or which are developing and counteract them with the right treatment. The physio and the player can nurse the injury and the player back to full health so they can perform at their best again.
Avoid injuries
In 2022, the Seattle Seahawks were, by and large, able to steer clear of injuries throughout the season, a factor which you might take into account when betting on the NFL. A certain amount of this was down to luck, but a much bigger amount was down to leaning into sports science and its potential benefits. Off-season, the Seahawks eased up a little on physical, full-speed practices so that all their players were healthy at the start of the season. In the pre-season, most of their starters didn’t even play.
Can prepare athletes for different sporting environments
Implementing sports science doesn’t just help teams to sidestep injury or recovery from it easier, though. NFL teams must travel around America and, as part of the NFL’s drive for growth, also play abroad. In London, United Kingdom, the Seahawks spent a shorter period there to avoid becoming acclimatized to the different time zone. Their sleeping schedule was planned for them.
In the US itself, some parts of the country are notably hotter than others, creating another opportunity for sports science to showcase its value. In Week 6 of the 2022 season, when the Seahawks travelled to Miami to face the Dolphins, the team underwent a week-long hydration program to prepare them for the heat. On the sidelines, in the visitors’ section, they made their own special arrangements, including air-conditioned benches and shading. They marched to their fourth consecutive victory.
Sports science in action in the NFL
The Seattle Seahawks progress in the 2022 season illustrated just a few of the benefits of sports science for teams in the NFL. Implementation by the Minnesota Vikings has also aided recovery from injury successful in the team.
A further use of sports science and technology in the NFL has been the Digital Athlete, a cooperation between the NFL and Amazon Web Services (AWS). This virtual representation of a player can help to predict injuries to players and prevent them. The project harness AWS’s technology and applies it to NFL data such as player activity, equipment, speeds, weather, hours and vast amounts of video to understand injury better.
From the input of data on each NFL play, the Digital Athlete’s algorithms will run endless simulations of in-game scenarios. This can help the NFL to understand their impact on players’ health and safety.
Sports science is having quite an impact for the better on the NFL. Teams and players are making the most of it to improve their performance, and the wider organization can also benefit from keeping its players healthy so that fans can see more of the league’s biggest stars.
