In the National Football League, every minute counts. Split-second decisions are key in the fast-paced sport. Microsoft agrees. Players and coaches are getting a smart upgrade thanks to a newly extended partnership with the NFL and the tech giant.
Microsoft is bringing its Copilot and Azure AI directly to the sidelines. The company calls it a super-smart assistant that helps teams dissect mountains of data in real time.
“The game’s not stopping. You have 40 seconds between each play or 25 seconds out of a clock stoppage. These decisions happen quickly,” said Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay. “By being able to have this technology, it will help you be able to make more consistent decisions that are in alignment with what you want to do to ultimately put your players in the best places in a game that has so many moving parts.”
Ushering in a New Era of AI in the NFL
A key component of this new initiative is the enhanced Sideline Viewing System (SVS). Microsoft recently updated this system with over 2,500 Surface Copilot+ PCs for all 32 NFL teams. The SVS, powered by Copilot, allows coaches and players to access and analyze real-time data. For example, it helps them gain insight into a play’s outcome. Or, it could filter key moments, like penalties or turnovers. As a result, the system allows the booth and sideline coaches to collaborate more effectively.
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Beyond the sideline, reports say AI solutions also provide benefits during weekly preparations. McVay notes that using AI can make absorbing large amounts of information more efficient for players. “If we can really be able to say that the amount of information we want to give to a player can be provided in a digestible manner in 30 minutes as opposed to an hour, well now, that’s 30 minutes he can spend maybe resting and recovering,” the coach said.
Additionally, the technology extends beyond gameday. The NFL is reportedly using Microsoft AI for various off-field operations. During the 2025 NFL Combine, scouts and coaches used an app built with Microsoft Azure AI Foundry to provide intelligent, real-time insights on prospects.
Teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Jets have also reportedly used Copilot to assist with marketing and fan engagement.
Gary Brantley, the NFL‘s CIO, said, “We are entering a new era of innovation at the NFL through our collaboration with Microsoft to deploy AI across key areas of the business.”
He added that Microsoft’s AI technologies offer “tremendous opportunities to elevate the game day experience for our clubs and deliver an even more compelling product to our fans.”
