Dallas Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott Runs 21 Miles an Hour, But Who Owns That Data?
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Ezekiel Elliott, left, carries the ball against B.J. Goodson of the New York Giants.
Photographer: Tom Pennington/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
The longest rush of the NFL playoffs so far -- a 44-yard run by Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott -- was also the fastest. Elliott hit 21.27 miles per hour as he outran two defenders, his top speed as a ball carrier this season.
We only know that statistic because of a tiny chip inside Elliott’s shoulder pads -- a small piece of the National Football League’s aggressive push into advanced data and analytics. The NFL is using technology to track the game and its players like never before. For the first time, all 32 teams have access to chip data throughout the league, providing a snapshot of every player’s location 12 times per second.