Now mostly gone, PFF forever changed our understanding of football
Cris Collinsworth sells PFF to Teamworks as analytics group significantly changes its consumer facing platform
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - OCTOBER 20: A detailed view of the NFL logo before the game between the Detroit Lions and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Ford Field on October 20, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images) | Getty Images The story of Pro Football Focus (PFF) from its inception to seemingly its end is both ironic and empowering. PFF started as a hobby for a British man, Neil Hornsby, who felt underwhelmed by traditional box score statistics and was compelled to find a better way.
His vision permanently changed America’s favorite sport and the way tight-lipped NFL teams operate. “ Football is a Numbers Game: Pro Football Focus and How a Data-Driven Approach Shook Up the Sport ” by Matthew Coller details both the improbable rise and collapse of the analytics firm, if the full story interests you. Even in 2023 Coller recognized that PFF was amidst a downturn.
NBC commentator Cris Collinsworth made an investment and incorporated their data into the Sunday Night Football broadcast. Collinsworth tasked his son to run the business during the season and soon after the firm began hemorrhaging front-facing talent that left to work for professional front offices, coaching staffs, and major media outlets. Just this week the turmoil arrived at a boil .
Collinsworth sold PFF’s data platform and business-to-business portfolio that includes most if not all NFL teams to Teamworks. The firm will maintain its consumer-facing business that will rely on data now owned by Teamworks. The front-facing talent were nearly all let go as part of the transaction and numerous individuals took to social media to share their news.