For most NFL players, the playbook is just part of the job. For Demetric Felton, it became something much bigger.
A former sixth-round pick who carved out a role as a versatile offensive weapon across multiple teams, Felton’s career was defined by adaptation, learning new systems, new positions, and new expectations on the go. Today, while continuing his professional journey in the Canadian Football League, he’s turning that same challenge into an opportunity.
Because behind the scenes, Felton is working on something aimed squarely at a problem most fans never see, but one that quietly shapes careers across the National Football League.
It’s not talent. It’s not effort. It’s how fast you can learn.
And now, through his venture Chalkboard Sports, Felton is trying to change that, building a system designed to help players process, retain, and execute playbooks faster than ever before.
Below is a QnA with Felton discussing his journey, the problem he’s solving, and the vision behind Chalkboard Sports.
Q- What is Chalkboard Sports about?
A- Chalkboard Sports is a Football Intelligence Platform that helps players learn faster and coaches install schemes more effectively. Think Quizlet or Duolingo, but for Football— structured, interactive learning built specifically for the game. We’re building the infrastructure that turns playbook knowledge into on-field performance.
Q- What problem did you notice in sports that led to Chalkboard Sports?
A- Surviving my NFL career, I was handed a thick playbook and told to learn at two positions with no real help. No guided system, no structure, just figure it out. I watched talented players get cut not because they lacked ability, but because they couldn’t install a scheme fast enough. That gap between what coaches teach and what players actually retain costs careers. I built Chalkboard because I lived that problem across five NFL organizations and nobody had solved it. I built my own system using Quizlet, and it allowed me to stay ready and make the most of my opportunities with limited to no reps.
Q- How did your experience as an NFL player shape this business?
A- Every system I played in — Cleveland, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Chicago, Washington — I saw the same issue from different angles. As a hybrid player who lined up at multiple positions, I had to learn more of the playbook than most. That forced me to develop my own systems for retaining information. Chalkboard is essentially me productizing what I had to build for myself just to survive in the league.
Q- How do you think AI is going to transform the sport of American Football?
A- The biggest opportunity isn’t on the field, it’s in the learning process before the field. Right now, there’s a massive gap between what coaches know and what players can absorb in a short install window. AI is going to close that gap by personalizing it for each player. The teams that win in the next decade won’t just have the best athletes, they’ll have the fastest learners.
Q- Who is your core target audience?
A- Primarily players transitioning into new systems — whether that’s rookies entering the league, veterans switching teams, or players coming back from injury trying to re-install a scheme quickly. On the other side, coaches who want faster, more measurable player development without adding staff and saving time.
Q- What has been the early response on Chalkboard Sports?
A- We’re currently in active validation — heads down building and testing before I report to camp in May. What I can share is that the traction signals have been strong: our first beta session with skill position players generated immediate buy-in, our LinkedIn content has driven 10,000+ impressions on a single post with consistent inbound from players, coaches, and investors, and we’ve had meaningful conversations with people inside the league who’ve independently confirmed the problem. The numbers that matter right now are the ones telling us we’re solving something real — and those are pointing in the right direction.
This interview is part of our campaign, Endzone Economics, a weekly newsletter on the business side of football, trusted by more than 10k fans.