NFL footballs will soon have data chips inside of them to track ball placement and place-kicking, according to various reports.
ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert reported the technological development Sunday, indicating the footballs would be deployed throughout the 2016 preseason and in Thursday night regular-season contests.
The main purpose of this endeavor will be to determine the prospective impact of shortening the distance between the goal posts.
The NFL aims to measure how close extra-point and field-goal attempts come to the uprights.
The chips could help officials determine whether the ball crosses the goal line or determine specific location on plays near the first-down marker.
