The NFL plans to test out data chips in footballs this season.
The league will use the high-tech footballs during the 2016 preseason and Thursday night regular-season games. According to a report from ESPN, league sources claim that the data chips would be used for research on officiating, kicking and other areas.
For example, the NFL could use the data to tell how close each kick comes to the uprights to determine the potential impact of narrowing the goalposts. Field goal attempts are currently at historic highs, hovering around an 84.5 percent success rate.
The NFL is also investigating the possibility of using chips in balls to help improve ball placement and determine when the ball crosses the goal line.