Since Microsoft’s 5-year long $400 million partnership with the NFL back in 2014, Redmond’s Surface devices have been a major part of the NFL games. For years, players and coaches of the NFL have been using Microsoft’s Surface devices to review replays and a lot more, but the NFL is now going all in on Microsoft Surface — as promised.
During the 2017-2018 season, NFL referees will also be using the Microsoft Surface to review replays in games. Microsoft’s Surface devices will be replacing the traditional “under-the-hood” monitors used by referees to review replays in the past. Referees will have access to 2 Surface devices during each game, one at each 20-yard line. Notably, there’ll be an assistant holding the Surface up for the referee at every game.
Microsoft’s Surface devices were actually used by the referee during the Hall of Fame game between the Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals on Thursday. NFL will still be having the traditional “under-the-hood” monitors in place as backups when and if the tablets malfunction, however.
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