How the NFL Scouting Combine got its name: Schedule, history and origins of the biggest NFL Draft event

The NFL Scouting Combine earned its name from a simple idea. To combine everything in one place. 

Before 1985, NFL teams relied on three separate regional scouting organizations — National, BLESTO and Quadra — to evaluate top college prospects. Each service operated its own camp, conducting medical exams, physical drills and psychological testing. The fragmented system was costly and inefficient, often requiring teams to travel to multiple locations.

In 1985, the league and its scouting partners merged those efforts into one centralized event. The new, unified camp effectively “combined” the three services into a single evaluation showcase. While the event had previously operated under the name National Invitational Camp, it soon became widely known as the NFL Scouting Combine following the consolidation.

The roots of the event date to the early 1980s. The first two National Football Scouting combines were held in Tampa before moving to New Orleans in 1984. Arizona hosted the first post-merger combine in 1985, followed by a return to New Orleans in 1986. Indianapolis first staged the event at the Hoosier Dome in 1987 and has hosted it every year since, except for 2021 when in-person workouts were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Though now a television staple, the combine was not always a broadcast spectacle. The launch of NFL Network in 2003 transformed the event. By 2004, daily coverage expanded its reach, eventually turning workouts into a made-for-primetime production. By 2023, the combine had become an offseason television event, with the 2024 edition featuring afternoon workout sessions.

The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine runs from Feb. 23 to March 2 in Indianapolis, with on-field workouts scheduled from Feb. 26 to March 1 and broadcast on NFL Network, continuing the evolution of a once-private scouting exercise into a national showcase.

More: 2026 NFL combine: Full list of draft prospects

2026 NFL Combine on-field workout schedule (All times Eastern):
Thursday, Feb. 26 (3:00 p.m.): Defensive linemen, linebackers, kickers
Friday, Feb. 27 (3:00 p.m.): Defensive backs, tight ends
Saturday, Feb. 28 (1:00 p.m.): Quarterbacks, wide receivers, running backs
Sunday, March 1 (1:00 p.m.): Offensive linemen

More NFL Combine news: 

• 2026 NFL scouting combine rankings: Quarterbacks
• 2026 NFL scouting combine rankings: Running backs
• 2026 NFL scouting combine rankings: Offensive line
• 2026 NFL scouting combine rankings: Wide receivers
• 2026 NFL scouting combine rankings: Tight ends
• 2026 NFL scouting combine: Defensive players with the most to prove

How to watch the NFL Combine

NFL Combine free live stream

• Live stream: Fubo (free trial), NFL+

The NFL Combine can be live streamed wioth Fubo, which offers a free trial. NFL Network will also broadcast the Combine on NFL+, the league's paid subscription service.