Microsoft has spent at least $400 million on its NFL partnership to make the Surface the official tablet for the sidelines of football games. While some announcers have called them “iPad-like tools” and quarterbacks have thrown them around, the brightly colored tablets are now making their way into Madden NFL 17.
Even Madden NFL 17 coaches use Surface tablets


is a senior correspondent and author of Notepad, who has been covering all things Microsoft, PC, and tech for over 20 years.
Coaches and players will use the blue tablets in Madden just like they do in real life, to help teams make play calls. “The coaches do indeed carry the Surface tablets on the sideline this year,” says an EA spokesperson in a statement to MSPowerUser. “One more way our presentation team is dedicated to making the game as realistic as possible.” Madden NFL 17 debuts on August 23rd, and Microsoft is naturally planning new Xbox One S bundles for the game that features its Surface tablets.
That @Microsoft @surface in action on the @RamsNFL sideline in #Madden17 pic.twitter.com/CsN3YI1y6m
— EA SPORTS Madden NFL (@EAMaddenNFL) July 16, 2016
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