{{Short description|American football player (born 1989)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2013}} {{Infobox gridiron football biography | name = Sam Schwartzstein | image = <!-- Only free-content images are allowed for depicting living people -- see WP:NONFREE. --> | upright = | alt = | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1989|7|7}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 3 | weight_lb = 292 | high_school = Carroll High School | college = Stanford (2008–2012) | undraftedyear = 2013 | career_position = ol | career_number = 64 | pastadmin = * XFL (2020)<br>Director of operations | status = | highlights = * Second-team All-Pac-12 (2012) }} '''Sam Schwartzstein''' (born July 7, 1989) is an American former college football player who played for Stanford University. He was also the former director of operations for the 2020 iteration of the XFL, and is the current Prime Video analytics expert on ''Thursday Night Football''.
Schwartzstein played offensive line for the Stanford Cardinal and was a team captain. He was a candidate for the 2013 NFL draft in late April 2013, but went undrafted.
==Early life== Schwartzstein is Jewish,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.jewishjournal.com/the_great_rabbino/item/jews_in_bowl_games_20101213/ |title=Jews in Bowl Games |publisher=Jewish Journal |date=December 13, 2010 |access-date=April 3, 2013}}</ref> and his hometown is Southlake, Texas.<ref name="gostanford1">{{cite web |title=Sam Schwartzstein Profile |url=http://www.gostanford.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/sam_schwartzstein_360522.html |access-date=April 3, 2013 |publisher=Gostanford.com}}</ref> His father formerly owned a tire dealership.<ref name="sfgate1">{{cite news|author=Tom FitzGerald |url=http://www.sfgate.com/collegesports/article/Stanford-s-Schwartzstein-a-quick-study-4038913.php |title=Stanford's Schwartzstein a quick study |publisher=San Francisco Chronicle |date=November 14, 2012 |access-date=April 3, 2013}}</ref>
He attended Carroll High School.<ref name="gostanford1"/><ref name="stanforddaily1">{{cite news|url=http://www.stanforddaily.com/2012/10/17/senior-sit-down-sam-schwartzstein-talks-about-big-game-and-his-experience-on-the-farm/ |title=Senior Sit Down: Sam Schwartzstein talks about Big Game and his experience on the Farm |publisher=Stanford Daily |date=October 17, 2012 |access-date=April 3, 2013}}</ref> As a junior playing left tackle, he helped the Carroll Dragons to 16–0 record and the Texas Class 5A state title, and as a senior he helped the team to an 11–2 record.<ref name="gostanford1"/><ref name="stanforddaily1"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.gostanford.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/111212aaa.html |author= Mark Soltau |title=The Rock of the Line; Shwartzstein brings leadership, stability|publisher=Gostanford.com |access-date=April 3, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.maxpreps.com/athletes/yD26QIncTEmAPMbLfIJmgg/football-fall-06/profile-sam-schwartzstein.htm |title=Sam Schwartzstein's Carroll High School 2006 Football Profile |publisher=Maxpreps.com |date=December 23, 2006 |access-date=April 3, 2013}}</ref> He was Associated Press second team All-State and first team All-District as a senior in 2007.<ref name="gostanford1"/> He was ranked the 52nd best offensive guard nationally by Scout.com.<ref name="gostanford1"/> He was named All-Midwest Region for the Class of 2008 by PrepStar.<ref name="gostanford1"/>
Schwartzstein had at least eight scholarship offers upon graduating high school, including Stanford, Purdue, and Colorado State.<ref name="scout1">{{cite web|url=http://stanford.scout.com/2/672691.html |title=Sam Schwartzstein (OG) |publisher=scout.com |date=August 27, 2007 |access-date=April 3, 2013}}</ref> Scout.com's Texas analyst wrote that he: <blockquote>uses position and leverage to make the plays on the field.... he is quick on the attack, and gets his hands inside the defender; he has enough pop in his hands and arms to not only control the defender but at times to knock him down... he gets the initial contact and the ability to control the situation. Second, he is aggressive in nature and will follow the defender downfield and look for a second block up field... He has good footwork... He is a highly developed tackle prospect... Overall, he is a very good offensive line prospect who plays smart, intelligent football.<ref name="scout1"/></blockquote>
He worked out at the 2007 Dallas NIKE Combine in March 2007, executing the 20-yard shuttle in 4.69, performing 24 reps in the bench press, and doing a vertical leap of 24.9".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://secure.rivals.com/cpevent.asp?Key=24856 |title=Sam Schwartzstein – 2007 Dallas NIKE Combine |publisher=Secure.rivals.com |date=March 10, 2007 |access-date=April 3, 2013}}</ref>
He also competed in discus. At the Class 5A Region I Track and Field Championship in 2008, he came in 10th with a discus throw of 148–03.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.southlaketimes.com/articles/2008/05/01/southlake_times/sports/sl%20sports%201.txt |author=Ricky Moore|title=Lowe leaves competition in his wake at Region I track meet |publisher=Southlake Times |date=April 30, 2008 |access-date=April 3, 2013}}</ref>
==Playing career==
=== College === Schwartzstein chose to attend Stanford, arriving as a guard.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/show_story.php?id=7092 |author= Rick Eymer |title=Stanford football signs up a talented class |publisher=Palo Alto Online |date=February 6, 2008 |access-date=April 3, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/show_story.php?id=23024 |author= Rick Eymer|title=Stanford's football success starts with its offensive line |publisher=Palo Alto Online |date= October 7, 2011|access-date=April 3, 2013}}</ref> In 2010, he played in his junior year at Stanford in six games as a reserve on the offensive line.<ref name="scout2">{{cite web|url=http://ucla.scout.com/2/1103740.html |author= Andy Drukarev|title=Scout.com: Week Two Notebook |publisher=Ucla.scout.com |date=September 7, 2011 |access-date=April 3, 2013}}</ref>
In 2011, his senior year, he started all 13 games at center.<ref name="scout2"/> After his first start, his head coach, David Shaw, said "I think Sammy Schwartzstein was outstanding, was off the charts. We expected him to play well, he surpassed our expectations".<ref name="scout2"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mercurynews.com/stanford-cardinal/ci_18839308 |author=Jon Willner|title=Stanford football notebook: Sam Schwartzstein makes promising debut as starting center |work=San Jose Mercury News |date= September 6, 2011 |access-date=April 3, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/show_story.php?id=22409 |author=David Kiefer |title=Schwartzstein is center of attention |publisher=Palo Alto Online |date= September 6, 2011|access-date=April 3, 2013}}</ref> He helped Andrew Luck lead the Pac-12 in passing efficiency and completion percentage while breaking school records for career (82) and single-season (37) touchdown passes.<ref name="gostanford1"/><ref name="stanforddaily1"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://hstexas.scout.com/a.z?s=378&p=2&c=1133221&ssf=1&RequestedURL=http%3a%2f%2fhstexas.scout.com%2f2%2f1133221.html |author= Kabir Sawhney |title=Postgame Interview: Sam Schwartzstein |publisher=scout.com |date=November 27, 2011 |access-date=April 3, 2013}}</ref><ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|last=Gemmell |first=Kevin |url=https://www.espn.com/blog/stanford-football/post/_/id/7550/take-2-filling-shoes-in-the-pac-12 |title=Take 2: Filling shoes in the Pac-12 |date=March 15, 2013 |publisher=ESPN |access-date=April 3, 2013}}</ref> Stanford also was tied for seventh nationally in fewest sacks allowed per game (0.85; 11 total). He helped running back Stepfan Taylor run for 1,330 yards, the second-highest single-season mark in school history.<ref name="gostanford1"/><ref name="sfgate1"/><ref name="autogenerated1"/> He helped Stanford compile a single-game school record 446 yards rushing in a 65–21 rout of No. 22 Washington.<ref name="gostanford1"/>
In 2012, as a fifth-year senior considered a team motivator, he was elected a team captain by his teammates, and nicknamed "Coach Sammy" by them.<ref name="gostanford1"/><ref name="sfgate1"/><ref>{{cite news|last=Chen |first=George |url=http://www.stanforddaily.com/2012/08/22/football-preview-powerful-offensive-line-anchored-by-freshman-talent-and-veteran-leadership/ |title=Football preview: Powerful offensive line anchored by freshman talent and veteran leadership |publisher=Stanford Daily |date=August 22, 2012 |access-date=April 3, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Gemmell |first=Kevin |url=https://www.espn.com/blog/stanford-football/post/_/id/321/meet-the-man-in-the-middle |title=Meet the man in the middle |publisher=ESPN |date= September 8, 2011|access-date=April 3, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=85496 |title=ASAP Sports Transcripts – 2012 – Rose Bowl Game: STANFORD v WISCONSIN – December 28 – Sam Schwartzstein |publisher=Asapsports.com |date=December 28, 2012 |access-date=April 3, 2013}}</ref> Coach Shaw said "His ability to decipher things at the line of scrimmage and make sure everybody's on the same page is phenomenal. He sees (defenses) as well as any center I've been around."<ref name="sfgate1"/> He was also a preseason candidate for the Rimington Trophy as the nation's top center.<ref name="bigblueview1">{{cite web |last=Valentine |first=Ed |date=February 10, 2013 |title=2013 NFL Draft prospect interview: Sam Schwartzstein, C, Stanford |url=http://www.bigblueview.com/2013-nfl-draft/2013/2/10/3971092/2013-nfl-draft-prospect-interview-sam-schwartzstein-c-stanford-new-york-giants |access-date=April 3, 2013 |publisher=Big Blue View}}</ref><ref name="gostanford1"/><ref>{{cite news|last=Chen |first=George |url=http://www.stanforddaily.com/2012/07/12/football-four-cardinal-players-included-on-preseason-watch-lists-for-national-awards/ |title=Football: Four Cardinal players included on preseason watch lists for national awards |publisher=Stanford Daily |date=July 12, 2012 |access-date=April 3, 2013}}</ref> Before the 2012 season, Walter Football called him a "sleeper center prospect who deserves more attention."<ref name="bigblueview1"/> He was quoted in the ''New York Times'' as saying "I come from a high school where we ran the spread offense and it was just deep ball, deep ball, deep ball — that’s boring to me.... This is real football, grindstone. That’s how it’s supposed to be played.”<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/02/sports/ncaafootball/stanford-holds-off-wisconsin-in-rose-bowl.html?_r=1& |author=Tim Rohan|title=Stanford 20, Wisconsin 14; Stanford Wears Out Wisconsin on Ground |work=The New York Times |date=January 1, 2013 |access-date=April 3, 2013}}</ref>
In 2012, the Cardinal played 14 games and allowed only 20 sacks.<ref name="autogenerated1"/> He was second-team All-Pac-12, and received Stanford's athletics plus leadership award, the Al Masters Award.<ref name="autogenerated1"/><ref>{{cite news|last=Chen |first=George |url=http://www.stanforddaily.com/2012/11/27/football-shaw-named-pac-12-coach-of-the-year-24-players-earn-individual-conference-honors/ |title=Football: Shaw named Pac-12 Coach of the Year, 24 players earn individual conference honors |publisher=Stanford Daily |date=November 27, 2012 |access-date=April 3, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Gemmell |first=Kevin |url=https://www.espn.com/blog/pac10/post/_/id/50177/pac-12-2012-awards-announced |title=Pac-12 2012 awards announced |publisher=ESPN |date=March 4, 2013 |access-date=April 3, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.samschwartzstein.com/2013/01/08/hello-world/ |title=Sam Schwartzstein Center/Guard Prospect 2013 NFL Draft |publisher=Samschwartzstein.com |access-date=April 3, 2013}}</ref>
=== NFL draft === Some mock drafts had him being selected in the sixth or seventh round of the 2013 NFL draft, but many correctly predicted he would be an undrafted free agent.<ref name="bigblueview1" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/college_player_scouting_report.html&player=42585 |title=Sam Schwartzstein |publisher=Nationalfootballpost.com |access-date=April 3, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.phillyburbs.com/blogs/reality/reality-predicts-every-pick-of-the-nfl-draft-yes-all/article_ce7d7b45-791f-5c46-8b57-2e2eb7495217.html |title=Reality predicts every pick of the NFL Draft (yes, all seven rounds!) - phillyburbs.com: Reality |website=www.phillyburbs.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130505061454/http://www.phillyburbs.com/blogs/reality/reality-predicts-every-pick-of-the-nfl-draft-yes-all/article_ce7d7b45-791f-5c46-8b57-2e2eb7495217.html |archive-date=2013-05-05}} </ref> His time in the 40-yard dash was 5.12 (with a low of 4.96), 7th-best among draft-eligible centers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.draftnikcentral.com/draft-prospects/player-profile/?player_id=1536 |title=Sam Schwartzstein 2013 NFL Draft Prospect Profile, Stanford Cardinal |publisher=Draftnikcentral.com |access-date=April 3, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/prospectrankings/2013/C |title=2013 NFL Draft Prospects |work=CBS Sports |access-date=April 3, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/pyrnotes.php?pyid=84310&draftyear=2013&genpos=C |title=Sam Schwartzstein | Stanford, C: 2013 NFL Draft Scout Player Profile |publisher=Nfldraftscout.com |date=September 21, 2006 |access-date=April 3, 2013}}</ref>
== Post-playing career ==
Schwartzstein was a founder of the 2020 iteration of the XFL and helped to write their rulebook from scratch.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Davis |first=Josh |date=2020-09-18 |title=Former XFL Director Of Operations Says 6 Weeks To Prep Players For 2021 |url=https://xflnewshub.com/xfl-news/former-xfl-director-of-operations-says-6-weeks-to-prep-players-for-2021/ |access-date=2023-09-29 |website=xflnewshub.com |language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-13 |title=Thursday Night Football's Sam Schwartzstein Thinks Fans Can Handle the Truth |url=https://www.thebiglead.com/posts/thursday-night-football-s-sam-schwartzstein-thinks-fans-can-handle-the-truth-01h9z9v8mm20 |access-date=2023-09-29 |website=The Big Lead |language=en-US}}</ref> As the XFL's director of operations, he also oversaw the league's compensation model for players and coaches, as well as on-field technology.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-04-10 |title=Is this it for the XFL? Here's what we know and don't know about its future |url=https://www.espn.com/xfl/story/_/id/29022883/xfl-suspends-operations-league-finished-know-know |access-date=2023-09-29 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-13 |title='Thursday Night Football' will use AI to help viewers better understand the action on the field |url=https://apnews.com/article/nfl-amazon-thursday-night-football-eagles-vikings-1a1fee1a4e376e683b674e0c2a2ee8a3 |access-date=2023-11-29 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref>
Starting in the 2023 NFL season, Schwartzstein is the analytics expert for Next Gen Stats, one of ''Thursday Night Football''{{'}}s weekly alternate streams.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hayes |first=Dade |date=2023-09-14 |title=Amazon Prime Video Execs Prep Data-Rich Update Of ‘Thursday Night Football’, Share Plans For Improving On Weekly Live Streams That “Hadn’t Been Done Before” |url=https://deadline.com/2023/09/thursday-night-football-amazon-prime-video-nfl-streaming-2023-1235545583/ |access-date=2023-09-29 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Pierce |first=David |date=2023-08-24 |title=Amazon is bringing a whole lot of AI to Thursday Night Football this season |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/8/24/23842818/amazon-thursday-night-football-ai-streaming |access-date=2023-09-29 |website=The Verge |language=en-US}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Schwartzstein, Sam}} Category:1989 births Category:Living people Category:American football centers Category:American football offensive tackles Category:American football offensive guards Category:American men discus throwers Category:Stanford Cardinal football players Category:Players of American football from Southlake, Texas Category:Jewish American players of American football Category:21st-century American Jews Category:Carroll Senior High School alumni Category:Jews from Texas