The Quarterback Equalizer, a unique gaming app created by a Black woman techpreneur named Kathy Tomlinson, is designed to teach football players (specifically quarterbacks) their position in a fun and cognitive way. The app, developed by her Dallas-based company, Equalizer Games LLC, allows players to transfer what they learn to the field.
“The Quarterback Equalizer is a game that addresses the need of fulfilling the off-field learning curve,” says Kathy.
“I’ve spent more than 25 years as a football coach. In that time, I’ve seen the struggles that quarterbacks go through when juggling game plans, defensive pressures, and the speed of the game, all while trying to prepare for an opponent. The Quarterback Equalizer was created to equip and enforce the rules all quarterbacks should have in their mental make-up each time they drop back to pass. It’s all about his eyes!,” says her husband, Coach John Tomlinson, who is CEO of Equalizer Games LLC.
Kathy took her husband’s passion for football and his drive to educate and create a business around it. Since its inception in 2014, Equalizer Games has been singularly focused on the development of the Quarterback Equalizer app. The app is the first in a series of games to be created by Equalizer Games LLC to help users better understand the nuances of football so that they can successfully execute offensive concepts with efficiency.
The Quarterback Equalizer aids quarterbacks – from neighborhood teams and schools to collegiate and professional levels – better understand how to dissect an opponent’s defensive coverage. The Quarterback Equalizer is designed to train the quarterback’s eyes to know what to look for quickly in defensive behavior and to better execute plays. The app can be played on smartphones and tablets.
“We focused on the quarterback because that position requires a great deal of preparation and detail on a weekly basis,” says John. “Many quarterbacks do not fully develop their skill set until their collegiate years. The Quarterback Equalizer can change that by providing additional training off the field that will enrich their abilities on the field. The cool thing about The Quarterback Equalizer is that the player now can go to a virtual classroom and get the help he needs when he’s away from school. It’s an enhancer to the coaches’ scheme but building on the fundamentals of the position.”
In the 25 years that John has coached football, he has had the opportunity to coach at each level from high school, college, and the NFL. He has been a part of three NFL organizations as an intern from the Indianapolis Colts in 2010 spending time daily with Peyton Manning and Coach Frank Reich in the Quarterback Room, to the Cleveland Browns in 2017 where he was an Asst QB Coach/Quality Control Coach for the entire season, and most recently he was an offensive intern with the Oakland Raiders in 2019 serving the RB Coach. He has had the opportunity to hear a common language in each of those organizations. The common language has been fundamentals. John has also bridged his computer science background and his previous extensive career in technology as a guide to bridge his passion with his former IT profession.
“The idea for the app came in 2007 when I was coaching a young, gifted quarterback,” said John says. “I wanted to pour into this talented guy by making sure he understood the nuances of defenses so he could flourish with his physical skill set on the field. From that experience, we set out to create a game that helps a quarterback by reducing the level of complexity in understanding what defenses do when trying to confuse quarterbacks.”
“While football is a male-dominated sport, this app allows everyone to hit the turf as a quarterback,” says Kathy. “The focus of the game is primarily educational, but it does offer an entertainment component as well. Players will easily get drawn into the aesthetics of the app, from the crowd sounds and the appearance of the stadium to selecting your team and level of play from high school to college to the pros. There’s a playoffs in each level and a coach you can go learn from in a classroom.”
The Quarterback Equalizer is a must-have game for quarterbacks, coaches, avid football fans and sports broadcasters who want to better understand what defenses are doing during the course of a game. It is available in the App Store and on Google Play. With the launch of the Quarterback Equalizer, Equalizer Games has launch a revised Kickstarter campaign. For more information about the Quarterback Equalizer, visit https://theqbeq.com/
About Equalizer Games LLC
Equalizer Games LLC is a Dallas-based company that is woman and minority owned. The company’s focus is to provide educational gaming apps for football players at all levels. The first product designed and distributed by the company is The Quarterback Equalizer, debuting in summer 2019.