In 2014, commentators referred to the Surface as an “iPad-like tool.” One month later, quarterback Jay Cutler called the devices “knockoff iPads.” Bill Belichick and Aaron Rodgers made headlines for throwing the tablets (the devices can withstand such force, by the way). The NFL’s competition committee also had to approve the use of such technology.
Microsoft had to develop a custom, ruggedized, weatherproof version of its “tablet PC,” which had just debuted to the public in 2012. ‘iPad-like tool’Īfter the deal was announced, it took a year before the tablets were ready for in-game use.
The Surface, meanwhile, was a much different story - but the first few years on the field didn’t exactly go smoothly. The latest Xbox Series X|S consoles aren’t even able to connect to a cable or satellite receiver. That vision - using an Xbox to watch live football - never caught on. “For fans, the NFL on Xbox will provide the most complete way to enjoy live football by bringing the first fully-integrated fantasy football experience to the TV, exclusively through Xbox,” Don Mattrick, then-president of the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft, said in a press release at the time. Microsoft wanted to use the partnership to showcase how people could use their Xbox to watch live games and access fantasy football stats. The deal, worth a reported $400 million over five years - and later extended in 2020 - was originally set up to be all about Xbox, according to Hall. Former Seattle Seahawks coordinator Tom Cable shows a previous play to a lineman during a game. “This thing had EVERY opportunity to fail along the way!” he tweeted. “It’s been a great outcome.”Įarlier this NFL season Hall shared behind-the-scenes insights about the deal. “It’s a feel good story,” said Brian Hall, a former Microsoft exec who helped lead the Surface business when the NFL deal kicked off.
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