Sam Hinkie Reportedly Works with Broncos as Analytics Consultant

Former Philadelphia 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie is back in a front office, but this time it's in a behind-the-scenes role for an NFL team.

Per The Athletic's Nicki Jhabvala, Hinkie is working with the Denver Broncos as an analytics consultant.

The phrase "trust the process" came to describe the 40-year-old Hinkie's tenure as 76ers GM. It has since become a motto for the franchise, even though he stepped down in April 2016 after leading the Sixers to a 47-195 record.

Mitch Tanney, the Broncos' director of football analytics, explained to Jhabvala what the analytics department is doing:

"It's a wealth of data, and it's our job to extract insights with coordination with the strength and conditioning staff, athletic training, with the rehab group in there to be able to make sure it makes sense. Again, it's that pragmatic part. If we just do some one-off research that doesn't make any sense, that doesn't do anybody any good. It needs to be applicable."

Hinkie interned with the San Francisco 49ers and Houston Texans while attending Stanford to earn his master's degree.

After graduating from college, Hinkie transitioned to the NBA as a special assistant to former Houston Rockets GM Carroll Dawson, rising to the position of executive vice president in Houston before being hired by the Sixers in 2013.