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Powering a better game

Season after season, the NFL achieves more
A seattle seahawks football player.

Bobby Wagner strives for excellence on and off the field

Bobby Wagner is one of the most accomplished and respected linebackers in the NFL. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in 2012 and has played with them for 11 seasons out of his 12-year career. He’s won a Super Bowl, earned nine Pro Bowl selections, and led the league in tackles three times, including this season. He’s the Seahawks’ all-time leader in tackles and has set several franchise records.

Bobby attributes his success and longevity to his consistency and versatility. He follows a rigorous training and recovery plan, and he’s come to rely on his Microsoft Surface to monitor his process, ensuring he’s able to assess progress and make adjustments throughout the season. This helps him stay ready for game day week in and week out. On game day, the Surface Sideline Viewing System gives him insights into what the opposing team is doing in real time, so that he’s prepared for each play.

Bobby is also a leader off the field. He has a passion for learning and pursuing his goals beyond football. He’s enrolled in an MBA program at Howard University, where he’s building his skills and knowledge to run a team and venture fund in the future. Bobby is also involved in various community initiatives earning him a nomination for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award, including the WHOLE Mentoring program exposing young black male students to mentorship, various career fields, and pathways in partnership with the Seattle Seahawks and Microsoft Surface by donating devices as an investment in their education.

Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson push each other on and off the field

As first-round picks by the New York Jets in the 2022 NFL Draft, wide receiver Garrett Wilson and cornerback Sauce Gardner are setting records and achieving honors. Both won Rookie of the Year in 2022 for their respective sides of the ball. Garrett set franchise rookie records for receptions and receiving yards in a single season, naming him to the PFWA All-Rookie Team. Sauce led the NFL with 20 pass deflections, was selected for the 2023 Pro Bowl Games, and named a First-Team All-Pro, becoming the first rookie cornerback to receive the honor since Ronnie Lott in 1981.

Garrett and Sauce push each other to be better on and off the field, whether they’re competing as teammates or using Microsoft Surface and Microsoft Teams to communicate, extract insights, and create game plans for the upcoming week. Surface Sideline Viewing System/Surface helps them on the field by gaining more insight into their opponent’s plays, enabling them to make adjustments and achieve success during the game.

Microsoft Surface helps them organize their schedules, allowing time to give back to their communities—something they both value. Between games, Garrett prepares for and hosts a weekly radio show that runs through the season, and recently designed uniforms for a local high school. Sauce frequently connects with his family to continue developing his family foundation, which prioritizes education and is partnering with Microsoft to donate Surface devices.

The most prepared person always wins, the most prepared team always wins, and that starts with knowing your opponent and knowing what you’re going up against.
Garrett Wilson
Wide Receiver, New York Jets

Honoring Polynesia

Microsoft is a proud partner of the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame (PFHOF) and the Polynesian Bowl since 2022 – celebrating the connection between Polynesian culture and football and extending Microsoft’s commitment to supporting underserved communities.

For the third year in a row, Microsoft and the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame came together to provide local students with access to technology, strengthening student learning opportunities amongst Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, & Mathematics (STEAM) curriculum.

This year, Microsoft hosted a STEAM event in partnership with 4th Family for over 100 students from the local Boys & Girls Clubs Of Hawaii at the Nanakuli Elementary School. Students participated in a series of mock NFL Combine drills, testing their strength, ability, and stamina while learning how to interpret the data behind their scores using Microsoft Surface devices.

Students were delighted with a surprise visit from NFL legends and co-founders of the PFHOF, Jesse Sapolu and Ma’a Tanuvasa, and future NFL stars participating in the Polynesian Bowl. Microsoft partnered with the Sewell Strong Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded by the Sewell family, to donate 50 Microsoft Surface laptops to the local Boys & Girls Clubs in O’ahu to help bridge the digital divide.

A group of kids posing for a picture.
Boys & Girls Club students enjoy STEAM Day event hosted by Microsoft and PFHOF
A young boy is holding a football in front of a group of people.
Polynesian Bowl players guide student through ladder drills at STEAM Day event

Polynesian Bowl

Microsoft is also a proud partner of the Polynesian Bowl, the premier high school all-star game that brings together the world’s top high school football players, honors the Polynesian heritage, and provides an opportunity for players to compete in the game they love.

Microsoft supported players participating in the Polynesian Bowl by providing Microsoft Surface devices for players to utilize throughout the week in the Players’ Lounge and awarded the Offensive and Defensive Players of the Game with Surface Pro 9’s to kickstart their upcoming collegiate journey.

Tyler Lockett’s big plays

As a wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks, Tyler Lockett has become a franchise legend. In early December 2022 he set a Seahawks record for six straight games with a touchdown reception. He’s garnered the second most touchdowns in club history, making him a hero among “The 12s” in Seattle. Big plays like his are called during the game but refined weeks in advance.

The grind is getting smarter with each passing season of the Microsoft and NFL partnership. Windows and Surface are giving clubs a new level of insight. From drawing up plays to annotating game film, Windows empowers players and coaches to collaborate, review, and reimagine faster than ever.

A shared desire for victory

The grind is getting smarter with each passing season of the Microsoft and NFL partnership.

We are constantly looking for ways to make our technology available to help support and amplify the great work that players, clubs, and organizations are doing.
James Bernstrom
Director of Sports Partnerships, Microsoft

Opportunities for success

The NFL and Microsoft share a desire to achieve more with a partnership that doesn’t just help athletes make plays. Technology is being made more accessible for students in underserved communities, creating opportunities for the next generation to succeed in any field, whether in football or STEAM.

For example, in Hawaii and across Polynesia, Microsoft, select NFL players, and the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame are supporting educational programs with donations of Surface devices. Microsoft also partners with NFL clubs to create learning opportunities for youth across science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.