New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is giving up on the NFL’s experiment putting Surface tablets on the sidelines during football games.
The usually tight-lipped coach unleashed a five-minute rant against Microsoft’s bug-ridden tablets during a press conference today. Belichick said he just can’t deal with the Surface’s problems anymore, so he’s calling an audible and going back to good old paper and three-ring binders.
“As you probably noticed, I’m done with the tablets,” Belichick told the press this afternoon. “There’s just no consistency. I’ve given them as much time as I can give them. I just can’t take it anymore.”
Microsoft Surface and the NFL
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Microsoft’s partnership with the NFL has been plagued with problems ever since the Windows-maker put its tablet system in coaches’ hands in 2014.
Many head coaches have reported that the tablets go offline in the middle of games. Meanwhile, TV announcers keep calling the devices “iPads” during broadcasts.
The $400 million marketing campaign for the Surface tablets has turned into a full-blown fiasco, and Belichick isn’t the only coach that despises Microsoft’s system.
Players like Aaron Rodgers and Johnny Manziel have been spotted punishing the tablets during games. Other head coaches have ditched the tablets in favor of notebooks and highlighters.
Here's Belichick's full answer as to why he hates the tablets. Lasted five minutes and 25 seconds. pic.twitter.com/wcSqebtQRu
— Zack Cox (@ZackCoxNESN) October 18, 2016
Update: Microsoft was so concerned about Belichick’s negative review that the company released the following statement to Cult of Mac:
“We respect Coach Belichick’s decision, but stand behind the reliability of Surface. We continue to receive positive feedback on having Surface devices on the sidelines from coaches, players and team personnel across the league. In the instances where sideline issues are reported in NFL games, we work closely with the NFL to quickly address and resolve.”
