National Football League

Imagine this: measuring NFL player performance worth $50,000

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 12:30 p.m. ET

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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) A 30-year-old logistics and operations worker from Seattle has won a Super Bowl technology contest that earned him $50,000 and tickets to the game.

Colin Edwards' idea, called ''PlayerMetrics,'' was selected Friday by Microsoft over two other submissions. Edwards works for Alexander Exhibit, an engineering and construction firm.

PlayerMetrics is an analytics platform that couples wearable technology with data to break down game film and stats in new ways that could help NFL teams and coaches improve their decision making.

Using the sensor array within a player's pads, biometric stats such as heart rate, hydration levels and more will factor in to a fatigue index that will be available in real time to coaches and trainers on the sidelines. The information should help them better understand and prevent injuries, as well as evaluate factors that impact player performance.

A cloud-based dashboard component will also allow for real-time data analysis by coaches and players on the sidelines that can display the success rate of formations against specific defenses.

''We're thrilled to announce Colin Edwards's PlayerMetrics idea as the winner of our first-ever Imagine Bowl,'' said Jeff Tran Director of Sports & Alliances for Microsoft. ''We created the Imagine Bowl with a vision to empower fans to dream up new ways technology could impact all facets of football for the next 50 years and beyond. Colin's idea, which creatively combines big data and wearable tech, delivers a unique way to further enhance the sideline, and is a deserving winner of the competition.''

The other finalists earned a trip to the Super Bowl and game tickets. They were Andrew Bye of Boston, a 31-year-old corporate development worker at Akami Technology, and Monique McGee of Powder Springs, Georgia, a 30-year-old student at Georgia State.

Bye's ''Player View'' gives fans the opportunity to see firsthand the speed and power of the game through the implementation of miniature cameras within the facemask structure of each player's helmet.

McGee used augmented reality and a series of different features for her ''StadiumView'' that brings the benefits of watching NFL games at home to the in-stadium experience.

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL

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