Will AI Make Its Way Into NFL Play Calling? [Op-ed]

Imagine this: It's a crisp fall Sunday, and the Buffalo Bills are lined up for a critical third down in Orchard Park, New York. Bills Offensive Coordinator Joe Brady scans his play sheet, but instead of thumbing through the countless scenarios stored in his head, he has another weapon at his disposal — artificial intelligence. Brady quickly glances at a tablet displaying a real-time breakdown of the opposing defense, complete with probabilities of different coverages, historical tendencies, and the optimal plays to run. This isn't just next-gen stats on steroids; it's AI providing decision-making support that could change the very nature of NFL play calling.

For sports fans, the integration of technology into every aspect of the game has been inevitable. But the question I'm asking today is this: Will we see AI make its way into NFL play calling, and what would that look like? As a lifelong Bills fan, I can’t help but be intrigued by the potential — and perhaps a little wary — of what this might mean for the game I love.

AI in the Coordinator's Playbook

Joe Brady is the perfect focal point for this thought experiment. He’s young, innovative, and already accustomed to leveraging data to gain an edge. Now imagine Brady, mid-game, utilizing AI to sift through millions of historical plays in mere seconds, identifying defensive patterns and recommending the highest-probability play based not only on down and distance but also unique factors like weather conditions and specific tendencies of the defenders lined up across from them. AI could become an unseen assistant coach, capable of processing data on a scale beyond any human’s capacity.

Consider this: according to YouGov data, 54% of NFL fans agree that artificial intelligence is just the next step in evolution. In fact, NFL fans are 17% more likely than the US general population to agree with this statement. The vision of AI-driven play calling certainly fits into this narrative. Imagine Brady, with AI in his headset, adapting the Bills' offensive approach not just in real time but on a hyper-intelligent scale — calling plays with an understanding of every defense ever run by the opposing Defensive Coordinator.

But it’s not all sunshine and touchdowns. YouGov Profiles data shows that over 4 in 5 NFL fans (84%) express concern about AI, saying we need to pay attention so that AI development doesn’t get out of hand. This skepticism extends beyond the fear of robots taking over — for the NFL, it's likely also about maintaining the human element of the game. Football has always been as much about guts, intuition, and feel as it has been about strategy. If AI starts making these critical decisions, what happens to the beauty of human error, to the thrill of a coach making a gutsy call, trusting his gut over the numbers? Would we lose the human drama that makes the NFL one of the most captivating leagues in the world?

The Pulse of NFL Fans on AI

NFL fans, much like the game itself, are evolving in how they interact with technology. According to YouGov data, nearly 2 in 3 NFL fans (63%) believe that in the future, AI will assist in most of their daily tasks. They see the writing on the wall, a future where AI takes on more in our daily lives — even if they’re not entirely comfortable with it. More than half (53%) admit they’re not ready to rely on AI for their daily tasks. It’s a paradox: AI is embraced for its efficiency and its promise, yet feared for its current limitations and shortcomings.

In the context of football, that paradox is perhaps even more pronounced. Could AI-enhanced play calling lead to more efficient and effective game strategies? Absolutely. Could it also rob the sport of its soul? That’s the million-dollar question — or perhaps the billion-dollar question, considering the NFL's financial scale. According to data from YouGov Profiles, half of NFL fans agree that in the future, companies will prefer AI over human employees. Translating this sentiment to the field, it’s not a leap to imagine AI overtaking some coaching responsibilities, even if fans — and coaches — aren’t quite ready for it.

Balancing Innovation and Tradition

The beauty of football lies in its unpredictability — the moment a coach decides to go for it on fourth down against all odds, or a quarterback changes the play at the line because of a gut feeling. These moments are as much about storytelling as they are about statistics, and they’re what bring fans to the edge of their seats. But there’s a part of me that wonders if AI could help coordinators like Joe Brady be even more unpredictable, turning tendencies upside down and giving my beloved Bills an even better shot.

According to YouGov Profiles data, 1 in 5 NFL fans have used generative AI in the past 30 days for both work and personal use. The data shows that fans are no strangers to AI, but integrating it into the sport — a sacred space where traditions run deep — is a different matter. Nearly 2 in 3 NFL fans (65%) believe that AI companies should release tools that detect AI-generated content, suggesting a desire for transparency and control. If AI were to become a part of NFL play calling, that same transparency may be key. Fans might want to know that the thrill they’re witnessing is human generated, that it’s not all being orchestrated by an algorithm.

The Future of Play Calling

As we ponder the future of AI in the NFL, one thing is clear: the potential for offensive and defensive play callers to leverage AI is as thrilling as it is uncertain. Will AI-enhanced play calling lead to strategies so advanced that they defy belief? Or will the human spirit — the imperfect, intuitive, beautiful decision-making of coordinators like Joe Brady — ultimately prevail?

The answers aren’t simple, and perhaps that’s for the best. AI’s role in the NFL is likely to evolve just as the game has over the last century — slowly, with fits and starts, as fans, coaches, and the league itself determine just how far they’re willing to let technology infiltrate the huddle. But one thing is for certain: whether it’s Joe Brady scanning a tablet on the sideline or an AI whispering probabilities in his ear, the next evolution of play calling will be something to behold.

And as a lifelong Bills fan, I’ll be watching — cheering — and maybe even hoping that Brady has a little extra help when it matters most. Go Bills!

Methodology

YouGov Profiles is based on continuously collected data and rolling surveys, rather than from a single limited questionnaire. Profiles data for the US is nationally representative of the online population and weighted by age, gender, education, region, and race. Learn more about Profiles.

Scores in this article are based on daily sample sizes of approximately 45,000 to 72,000 depending on NFL fandom in November 2024.

AI contributed to the enhancement of this article.