HOUSTON (AP) -- With player safety under the microscope, the NFL and the Texas Medical Center held a competition Saturday for startups making innovative products geared toward improving the game.
Nine companies competed in three categories - communicating with the athlete, training the athlete and materials to protect the athlete - presenting pitches to a panel of judges that included doctors, CEOs and current and former NFL players.
GoRout won the communicating-with-the-athlete category, Mobile Virtual Player won for training the athlete and Windpact won for its materials to protect the athlete.
''I think what captivated the judges and grabbed our interest is these are translational ideas,'' said Jeff Miller, the NFL's executive vice president for health and safety initiatives.