The Dallas Cowboys, along with three other NFL teams, are now using footballs that sing. By singing we mean the ball whistles when a player holds a ball tightly and with correct form, with the point of the ball facing up so the ball doesn’t get loose and lead to fumbles. It helps players know the importance of security, which is a basic skill that can never be too ingrained.
The whistling High and Tight football is the creation of Tom Creguer, an assistant coach at Northwood University. He had to learn about compression sensors to create the ball, and how to correctly hold a football. Creguer went through seven prototypes and ended up with a ball that has a sensor on each panel. When the ball is angled right, tight against the chest, it will whistle. “It’s not about brute strength, it’s constant pressure and closing the gap…”said Creguer. Although the Cowboys don’t have a huge problem with fumbling, with only four last season, they are using the new ball as a preventative measure and want to decrease the amount of future fumbles as much as possible.
So far Creguer is pitching the product to NFL running back coaches in the hopes it will spread throughout the league. The Cowboys have been using the balls since rookie minicamp last month. The reaction has been very positive, “They love it. The first time they did it, it was kind of hard on them because they had to keep it nice and tight,” said Cowboy running back coach Gary Brown.
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Other teams that have purchased the ball include the San Diego Chargers, the Baltimore Ravens and the Indianapolis Colts, along with a lot of college programs.
This isn’t the first hi-tech product that the Cowboys have invested in this year. They created an NFL Draft War Room which allows for better ability to compare players, be more organized and give more information on past drafts to fans. They have also starting using drones at practice and virtual reality in the off season for better quarterback training.