The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be the second team in the National Football League (NFL) to use virtual reality technology and will be one of the firsts in the sport. The team announced their partnership with EON Sports VR last Monday.
Tampa Bay will be using the Sidekiq football-simulator software developed by EON Sports VR and will be one of the firsts in football both in professional and amateur leagues to use the technology.
Along with the Bucs, the Dallas Cowboys and a number of collegiate programs in the U.S. are the only ones using the virtual reality technology.
"We are excited to be coming in on the front end of this new wave of technology that is designed to supplement the on-field and classroom work that our quarterbacks are already doing. Obviously, there is no real substitute for being on the field when it comes to getting our players ready for game action," Buccaneers General Manager Jason Licht stated.
But Licht added, "However, this virtual-reality technology allows us to enhance the learning experience for our quarterbacks without requiring them to put in additional time on the practice fields."
According to a report by ESPN, the software will simulate computer-generated graphics that of a real game and a player can custom a game scenario like plays and other calls the same way they would see them while on a real field.
EON Sports VR CEO Brendan Reilly said the technology is really popular in high school and college programs and has recently drawn interest from professional teams looking to minimize injuries suffered while practicing plays.
"We are excited to get to work with the Buccaneers and provide their quarterbacks with the opportunity to train more efficiently than ever before," Reilly added.
Mainly rookie quarterback Jameis Winston who is the no. 1 pick in this year's draft and is expected to be the face of the franchise will be the one benefitting from the new technology the Bucs invested in.
