Cowboys hire somebody from an MLB team to help them win
The Dallas Cowboys have been on a hiring streak that the casual observer might've missed. And yet, it could prove to be one of the most impactful shifts the team makes during the 2023 NFL offseason. I'm talking about the Cowboys' revamped Department of Strategic Football Operations, which will be spearheaded by the recently-hired Director John […]
The Dallas Cowboys have been on a hiring streak that the casual observer might've missed. And yet, it could prove to be one of the most impactful shifts the team makes during the 2023 NFL offseason.
I'm talking about the Cowboys' revamped Department of Strategic Football Operations, which will be spearheaded by the recently-hired Director John Park.
The team's latest hiring shows how committed the Cowboys are in this endeavor as they signed Bryant Davis, a former research and development analyst with the Tampa Bay Rays from Major League Baseball. They're pulling out all the stops!
The news reported by the Tampa Bay Times' Marc Topkin appears very encouraging. After all, baseball fans will know the Rays have been one of the most analytically advanced teams in MLB, if not the most. With one of the lowest payrolls in baseball, they have been consistent winners thanks to their data analytics approach, just like the Moneyball A's before them.
Bryant Davis, the new Strategic Football Analyst for the Cowboys, isn't new to football, however. He received an Honorable Mention in the 2020 Big Data Bowl thanks to his paper which aimed to "predict the number of yards gained at the point of handoff."
According to reports, Bryant Davis would be the third analyst on the team's Strategic Football Operations team, which breaks down as follows in no particular order:
- John Park, Director
- Sarah Mallepalle, Strategic Football Analyst
- William Britt, Strategic Football Analyst
- Bryant Davis, Strategic Football Analyst
- Max Lyons, Data Engineer
- Alok Pattani, Consultant (Going into his sixth training camp working with the Cowboys)
The Cowboys got to see first-hand what a strong analytics team could do as they witnessed the Philadelphia Eagles cash in on their investment with a Super Bowl run last year.
For more on the Cowboys' previous analytics-based hirings, check out the article below:
Cowboys double down on bet that could drastically change their strategy
The Dallas Cowboys have made another move this offseason that indicates the franchise is taking a smart approach in football decision-making.
Featured image via Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
