Zebra is the Official On-Field Player Tracking Provider of the NFL
By Adam Petrus | February 01, 2022

This is Where to Find Player Stats During the 2022 Senior Bowl and East-West Shrine Bowl

We’re putting real-time RFID tracking technology in players’ shoulder pads to collect daily performance data during practices and the Bowl games.

It’s finally here! The month every hard core (American) football fan has been waiting for…Bowl month!

I know, I know. Technically, bowl games have been underway since December. But, over the couple weeks, we’ll get to watch our favorite college and NFL players battle it out on the field in some of the most epic games of the football season, including the

There is a lot at stake for these athletes, beyond just bragging rights.

Okay…the Super Bowl is a little bit about bragging rights. But it is also a proving ground for NFL athletes and clubs. This is their chance to show they deserve the support of fans and financial backers. Similarly, the East-West Shrine Bowl and Senior Bowl are opportunities for the year’s top college players to prove to NFL coaches, scouts and general managers that they have what it takes to go pro. It’s their “job interview” if you will.

In other words, these are not just games. They are potentially life-changing events, and what happens in every moment matters. That’s why Zebra – and our technology – will be playing such a big role in all three Bowl games this year.

Real-Time Stats Reveal the Next Generation of Football

If you’re an NFL fan, you may be familiar with the NFL’s Next Gen Stats. These are the detailed player and team stats that are available online and shared by broadcasters during and after NFL games. But what you may not know is that it’s actually Zebra’s radio frequency identification (RFID) technology that is capturing all that data. Check this out:

Stories from the Edge | NFL Bets Big on RFID, IoT as Player Statistics Become a Strategic Imperative On and Off the Field

As the Official On-Field Player-Tracking Provider of the NFL, Zebra has been equipping footballs and player equipment with RFID tags for the last seven years. And every game day, Zebra aggregates that data and, using advanced analytics technology, compiles and shares countless stats with fans like you, as well as coaches, players, trainers, broadcasters and referees. In addition to the live stats streaming during games, this on-field data is being used to analyze player and team performance during practices. Former New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton explained how that works in this interview:

What Does a Perfect Practice or Game Really Look Like for NFL Players?

Since the East-West Shrine Bowl and the Senior Bowl both feature NFL prospects, we’ve been asked to start tracking player performance during these key showcase events as well. So, this week, we have attached Zebra RFID tags to players’ shoulder pads to transmit real-time location data during both games, including speed, distance traveled, orientation and acceleration metrics. We’ll also be capturing this data during all player practices leading up to the two Bowl games.

If you’d like to see how your favorite players are doing, you can check out their daily stats starting on Tuesday, Feb. 1 for the East-West Shrine Game and on Wed., Feb. 2 for the Senior Bowl here:

East-West Shrine Bowl Stats

Senior Bowl Player Stats

And stay tuned into the Your Edge blog throughout the month of February for more exciting Bowl news, including a stream of our Super Bowl press conference, an inside look at how players from both teams match up, and a post-game debrief on player performance. Sign up for bi-weekly roundups now.

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Adam Petrus
Adam Petrus

Adam Petrus is currently the Business Development and Sales Lead for Sports & Entertainment at Zebra Technologies where he is responsible for growing Zebra’s hardware and software solutions across the world of sports and the entertainment industry.   Prior to joining the sales team Adam co-managed Zebra’s game day operation of the NFL’s Next Gen Stats program and served as the project lead for the NFL’s Equipment Tracking Program, Virtual Locker.  Adam has more than 15 years of experience within the sports and technology industry and has been working with Next Gen Stats since 2015.  Previously, he worked in the front office of an NFL Football Club, served within the United States Intelligence Community supporting special operations to include two and a half years in Iraq and was a licensed and certified sports agent.  Adam holds a bachelor’s degree from Baldwin Wallace University out of Berea, Ohio and attended the International Institute for Management & Development (IMD) in Lausanne, Switzerland where he earned a certificate in Business Management and Leadership.

As an active member of the community, Adam serves on the Baldwin Wallace University Carmel-Boyer School of Business Advisory Council, served on the Board of the Ponte Vedra Beach Rotary International Club and is a member of the Jacksonville JAXSports Council - a non-profit established to enhance and positively impact the quality of life and community pride, along with generating economic impact and growth through professional and amateur sports. An outdoor enthusiast, Adam enjoys running, paddle boarding, golfing and being an active parent alongside his wife Jenn to their daughters Olivia (7) & Peyton (5) and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels Gunner and Nash.  

Fun Fact: 

"My first job in the NFL was at age 16 when I was hired by the Cleveland Browns Groundcrew.  This position then led to a promotion into the front office when I was in college and a full-time role upon graduation."