Cowboys Voted Most Improved in Overall Analytics by NFL Execs: ‘Been Cool to See’

Jack MurraySeptember 20, 2024

Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Dallas Cowboys have increased their use of analytics.

Seth Walder of ESPN released the results of a survey from the NFL teams that detailed which franchises have embraced analytics the most. The Cleveland Browns were named as the team that utilizes analytics the most for the fourth consecutive season but the Cowboys were named as the team that has improved the most in the metric.

Dallas received 13 of 20 votes from the teams that sent in an answer. This was due to “substantial staffing changes,” with notable hires including director of strategic football operations John Park and the addition of Kathy Evans to the analytics group.

Park had previously been with the Indianapolis Colts while Evans had worked with the Washington Wizards and Mystics of the NBA and WNBA. The franchise also added four other full-time employees to the analytics team and two strategic football fellows, per Walder.

When asked why the Cowboys were the most improved, the resources the team has were viewed as a reason why.

“The growth of their team,” an AFC staffer told Walder. “It’s Dallas, they have more resources than anybody. It’s been cool to see that department grow.”

Dallas’ play during the 2023 regular season would have some wondering why a change in approach was necessary. The Cowboys went 12-5 and won the NFC East. This was the third consecutive season that the team qualified for the playoffs, but the Wild Card performance showed exactly what was wrong.

The Cowboys fell 48-32 to the Green Bay Packers, who were the No. 7 seed. This was the second time in three seasons that the Cowboys failed to win a postseason game and the franchise as a whole has not reached a Conference Championship since 1995.

Dallas is currently 1-1 in 2024, with a dominant performance in Week 1 and a lackluster one in Week 2. Still, the roster is strong and the team hopes analytics can provide the punch needed to advance further in the postseason.