Science for Sport Podcast 287: Data With Purpose: How the Houston Texans Use Sports Science to Drive Performance
This week on the Science for Sport Podcast, host Richard Graves is joined by Marc Lewis, Director of Applied Sports Science at the Houston Texans.
Marc’s journey is anything but conventional. From a childhood in foster care, to serving as an airborne infantry soldier in the U.S. Army, to becoming one of the leading voices in applied sports science in the NFL. He shares how his military discipline shaped his academic career, how he built his own sports science role from the ground up, and what it’s like to apply evidence-based practice in one of the world’s most demanding sporting environments.
For practitioners working in professional sport, this episode offers practical insights into building effective systems, working collaboratively across disciplines, and making better decisions with data.
*** In this episode, you’ll learn:**
- How Marc transitioned from the U.S. Army into academia and ultimately the NFL.
- Why strong foundations in research methods, measurement, and statistics are critical for sports scientists.
- How to build sports science systems that connect data collection directly to decision-making.
- The importance of collaboration across strength & conditioning, athletic training, and coaching.
- How subjective monitoring can sometimes outweigh objective data when it comes to understanding athletes.
- Why effective communication—and translating data into a language coaches understand—is essential for buy-in.
- The role of culture, systems, and people in making technology truly effective.
- Where Marc sees the next big leap in sports science, including the impact of artificial intelligence.
About Marc Lewis
Marc Lewis, PhD, is the Director of Applied Sports Science at the Houston Texans. His career spans military service, academia, and professional sport:
- Former airborne infantry soldier in the U.S. Army.
- Earned a PhD in Exercise Physiology at Virginia Tech, where he pioneered one of the university’s first applied sports science roles.
- Held leadership positions at Virginia Tech football and Penn State University in applied health and performance science.
- Joined the Houston Texans in 2023, where he leads the sports science department, developing integrated systems to support athlete performance and recovery.
- Co-author of The Sports Science Handbook: A Blueprint for Better Decision-Making in Sport, written with Adam Virgil (Los Angeles Clippers). Marc is passionate about connecting research with practice, building systems that enhance decision-making, and pushing the boundaries of sports science in high-performance environments.
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