Every year, the NFL’s Scouting Combine takes place in Indianapolis. But why actually?

Super Bowl, Pro Bowl, Draft – almost all important NFL events take place at a different location every year. Except for one, the Scouting Combine. Since 1987, it has been held every year between the end of February and the beginning of March in Indianapolis. But why is that?

The Combine itself is not an age-old NFL tradition. The idea first emerged in the 1970s. The reason for this was the New York Jets, who invited players to their facility to scout them. More and more teams followed suit – in the end, the Dallas Cowboys suggested making it a league-wide event.

The first joint Combines then took place where it is warmest in the USA at the beginning of the year: in the South. However, the league was interested in holding the Combine at a location that was centrally located and easy to reach for players from all corners of the country.

They were also looking for a metropolis that wasn’t huge and therefore didn’t offer too many distractions for the players. And probably most importantly, the Colts have been playing in a dome since 1984, which is known to offer equal conditions for all participants. In the end, Indianapolis was chosen

When the Lucas Oil Stadium was rebuilt, extra rooms were even integrated into it just for the Combine.

Combine also in Indianapolis in 2025

By the way: It is already clear that the event will also take place in Indianapolis in 2025, as the NFL announced in mid-January.

“Indianapolis has a long history with the NFL Combine and we are thrilled to continue working with Visit Indy, the Indianapolis Colts and our local partners for the 2025 event,” Peter O’Reilly, Executive Vice President of Club Business, International and League Events, was quoted by US media at the time.

He added: “The city continues to be innovative and has helped us evolve both the setup for the football evaluation process and the in-person experience for football fans in the region and across the country.”