INDIANAPOLIS — NFL insiders want the scouting combine to stay in Indianapolis.
In posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, Pro Football Talk, Albert Breer, Andrew DiCecco and Jim Nagy all voiced their collective desire for the NFL Combine to remain in the Circle City.
Indianapolis has hosted the combine since 1987. The event was held at the RCA Dome before moving to Lucas Oil Stadium in 2009.
In recent years, the NFL has tooled with the idea of allowing different cities to host the combine. According to CBS Sports, Minneapolis and Phoenix could be among the frontrunners to host the event should the NFL ever decide to move it away from Indianapolis.
The league allowed cities to place bids to host the combine in 2021. CBS Sports reported that the NFL awarded the 2023 and 2024 combines to Indianapolis in 2022.
In January, the NFL announced that the combine would remain in the Circle City through 2025. The NFL reported that numerous entities in central Indiana petitioned to keep the combine in Indianapolis in 2025, including the Colts, IU Health, Visit Indy and the Indiana Sports Corp.
"We know cities across the U.S. consistently vie to host all of the NFL's events," Visit Indy president and CEO Leonard Hoops told NFL.com. "We appreciate the NFL's continued confidence and partnership with Indy, and we are looking forward to continued growth in our city."
According to the NFL's website, Indianapolis-based National Football Scouting Inc. hosted its first National Invitational Camp in Tampa, Florida, in 1982. BLESTO and Quadra Scouting also hosted scouting camps of their own.
In 1985, the three organizations merged their camps into what is now known as the combine. Before coming to Indianapolis, the NFL's scouting camps were also hosted in Phoenix and New Orleans
"Indianapolis has a storied history with the NFL Combine, so we are thrilled to continue partnering with Visit Indy, the Indianapolis Colts, and our local partners for the event in 2025," NFL executive vice president of club business, international and league events Peter O'Reilly told NFL.com. "The city has continued to innovate and help us evolve both the setup for the football evaluation process as well as growing the in-person experience for football fans in the region and across the country."
Previous reporting indicates that the combine was expected to generate about $10 million in economic impact for Indianapolis in 2024.
While the NFL's plan for the scouting combine are up in the air past 2025, a Pro Football Talk column argues the Circle City should always be the event's home. The column's writer, Mike Florio, contends dwindling participation among coaches and athletes could be exacerbated if the combine leaves Indianapolis.
In addition to Phoenix and Minneapolis, Yahoo Sports reported that Nashville and Las Vegas may also vie to host the combine in future years.