Science for Sport Podcast 286: NFL’s Digital Athlete – How Data is Transforming Player Health & Safety
This week, host Richard Graves is joined by two leading figures driving innovation in sport:
Dr Mackenzie Herzog, VP of Player Health & Safety and Strategic Innovation at the NFL
Julie Souza, Global Head of Sports at Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Together, they explore the groundbreaking NFL Digital Athlete, a data-driven platform reshaping how the league prevents injuries, enhances performance, and safeguards the long-term health of its players.
This episode offers a rare look behind the scenes at how one of the world’s biggest sports organisations is using advanced analytics, computer vision, and machine learning to transform player welfare.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
How the NFL Digital Athlete creates a 360° view of every player by combining wearable, video, and performance data
The role of AWS in processing 500 million+ data points per week to power injury prevention and performance insights
How data modelling led to rule changes like the dynamic kickoff and banning hip-drop tackles to reduce injuries
How computer vision is used to track player pose and limb position to identify mechanisms of injury
How concussion risk has dropped thanks to position-specific helmets and guardian caps
Why player and coach buy-in has been crucial for the success of data-driven safety initiatives
How the Digital Athlete model is now influencing college football, global sport, and even other industries
About Dr Mackenzie Herzog
Dr Mackenzie Herzog is the Vice President of Player Health & Safety and Strategic Innovation at the NFL. She leads the league’s efforts to reduce injuries, improve player health outcomes, and integrate cutting-edge technology and analytics into performance and safety strategies. Mackenzie has overseen the creation and implementation of the NFL Digital Athlete, spearheading collaborations with partners such as AWS to harness data for player health and safety advancements across the league.
About Julie Souza
Julie Souza is the Global Head of Sports at Amazon Web Services (AWS), where she partners with leading sports organisations to leverage cloud technology, machine learning, and data analytics to transform athlete performance, fan engagement, and operational efficiency. Julie has played a pivotal role in AWS’s collaboration with the NFL, powering the Digital Athlete platform and pioneering innovations like next-gen stats, optical tracking, and large-scale injury risk modelling.
SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241
- Learn Quicker & More Effectively
- Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery
- Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In
- Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese
- Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More
- Improve Your Athletes' Performance
- Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes
- Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research