Will Virtual Reality Practices Change Football?

The technology continues to become even more realistic, so how can football teams use it to gain an edge over their competition?  

By Hady MawajdehJanuary 7, 2016 2:02 pm,

This weekend will mark the beginning of the playoffs in the National Football League. As we countdown to Super Bowl 50, we thought it might be cool to continue our look into the future of football with science and sports reporter Jeff Beckham.

Beckham has joined us on the Standard to talk about high-tech mouth pieces and “small” stadiums of the future. But what’s next? Virtual reality goggles perhaps?

Beckham has written about the virtual reality trend for Wired and Sports Illustrated making its way through profession sports.

“Teams are using virtual reality headsets as a way to get more practice time in,” he says. Players put on a headset, which looks like big ski googles, and headphones in a video room to put themselves in an “immersive” environment.

“It makes you feel like you are on the practice field,” he says, “even though you’re in a soundproof room at the practice facility.”

Beckham says Strivr Labs, which came out of Stanford University, have developed much of the technology that football teams have used, including a dozen college teams and half a dozen professional teams, like the Dallas Cowboys.

What you’ll hear in this segment:

– What other technology that the Cowboys have used, as early adopters in the NFL

– How some teams have used this technology, including ways to get players to recognize plays through repetition

– What players think about virtual reality for training, rather than watching game film