Mentorship Program

The Eighth Annual Big Data Bowl

This year's competition highlighted a new pathway for leveraging Next Gen Stats (NGS). For the first time, the participants predicted player movement by using data before the football is thrown to produce insights on where players will move while the football is in the air. Data was available from the 2023 and 2024 NFL seasons, with predictions evaluated against the 2025 season's outcomes (Weeks 14-18). Also, for the first time, applicants can enter a public leaderboard, which evaluates the accuracy of submissions by comparing predicted to actual player locations, as determined using NGS.

Previous competitions have analyzed running backs, defensive backs, special teams, pass rush plays and tackling, and have generated metrics that have been used by NFL teams and incorporated into live games. During a game, both teams divulge patterns before the snap and participants are challenged to determine those patterns from player tracking data corresponding to pre-snap team and player tendencies.

As in the 2019-2025 Big Data Bowls, the 2026 Big Data Bowl was hosted by Kaggle, the world’s largest community of machine learning practitioners, learners, and researchers.

Participants can select one of two analytics tracks in which to submit:

• University track - This is open only to groups or individuals composed entirely of undergraduate or graduate students. Verification may be required to prove eligibility.
• Broadcast visualization track - This track generates an animation, video, or chart that best visualizes the movement of players with the ball in the air.

“Now in our eighth year, we are elevating the Big Data Bowl with a first-of-its-kind prediction competition, offering participants a unique journey through an NFL play,” said Mike Lopez, senior director of football data & analytics at the NFL. “With these additions, we hope to gain the attention of amateur and expert analysts alike, bringing out the best in sports analytics to drive innovation in our game.”

THE BIG DATA BOWL STRUCTURE

Each year, the NFL Big Data Bowl calls on professional and aspiring amateur data scientists to devise innovative approaches to a specific challenge. Participants propose statistical, data-driven solutions using real-time data across a wide variety of players, plays and situations.

The call for participants typically is in the fall and the competition runs into early January. Participants can work independently or form teams with other colleagues.

NFL club analytics staff judge each submission and work with NFL Football Operations staff to narrow down the finalists. Finalists then present their entry at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis to a panel of judges. In recent years, judges have included NFL Network predictive analytics expert, Cynthia Frelund, former Big Data Bowl participants, AWS data scientists and NFL linebacker Najee Goode.

Contestants in each year’s Big Data Bowl compete for $100,000 in prize money and the chance to present to NFL teams at the upcoming NFL Scouting Combine. Even if participants do not finish as a finalist, the Big Data Bowl has served as a pipeline with NFL teams or their affiliate vendors.

MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

As part of the NFL’s annual Big Data Bowl, NFL Football Operations offers a mentorship program to increase diversity within sports analytics by connecting experienced NFL analytics experts with individuals who are quantitatively prepared but new to the field of sports analytics. Mentors and mentees work one-on-one to contribute to the football analytics community. Participants whose work stands out could gain an opportunity to present it at conferences or contribute to our NFL Football Operations data blog posts. Groups underrepresented in sports analytics/STEM receive priority in the application process.

Mentors for the Big Data Bowl program are selected based on their analytics backgrounds and commitment to advise mentees as they start their analytics journeys. Mentors include former/current NFL team data analysts and front-office representatives as well as staff members from NFL analytics partners. Mentors provide technical and non-technical advice throughout the duration of the program.

Mentees learn from an industry professional on how to use the Big Data Bowl data while expanding their knowledge of how data science, statistics or a related discipline can contribute to the NFL’s continuing evolution in the use of advanced analytics. No background in analytics is required — only a willingness to code.

The program

Individual mentorship

Mentors and mentees are matched by the NFL Football Operations team based on their knowledge, skills and location. Mentors are expected to provide encouragement and advice, both in and around data science. Mentors and mentees meet virtually at least once a month during the program that runs from September through February. It is expected that all mentees complete a public submission to the Big Data Bowl.

Group training seminars

The program includes both individual meetings and monthly group training sessions. These seminars cover football analytics topics, including:

• Life with an NFL team
• Working as a league vendor in data science
• Media or business analytics
• Graduate school

Each training session consists of a presentation, Q&A, and an open forum.

Final presentation

All mentees have the opportunity to present at a virtual forum open to analysts from all 32 NFL teams. This event is held in January or February.

Code of conduct

Participants in the Big Data Bowl Mentorship Program are required to abide by the following rules:

• Conversations should remain productive and respect personal and professional boundaries.
• Comments or actions that are offensive, sexual in nature, or intimidating are prohibited in any form.
• Mentees are instructed not to solicit confidential information.
• Mentors and mentees cannot publicize their relationship unless both parties consent.
• Monthly meetings are a minimum commitment for both mentors and mentees. If this cadence is not sustained, participants may be removed from the program.
• Anyone in violation of the above is subject to removal from the program.