For at least another year, the NFL Scouting Combine will be held in Indianapolis. On January 18, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that the league had announced Indianapolis as the site of the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine. Rapoport said on X (formerly Twitter) that “Indianapolis will host the NFL Scouting Combine in 2025, striking a 1-year extension.”
A press release from the league announcing the one-year deal was shared by Rapoport in his tweet. NFL executive vice president Peter O’Reilly stated, “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.”
The city has persisted in innovating and supporting us as we expand the in-person experience for football fans in the area and throughout the city, as well as the setting for the football assessment process.
Since 1987, Indianapolis has served as the host city for the NFL combine. Due to Indianapolis’ indoor facilities and its central location in the nation, the tradition was established there. The league combine was hosted at the Colts’ former home, the RCA Dome, until Lucas Oil Stadium opened in 2008. There has been discussion in more recent years about the combine traveling to other cities, similar to the NFL draft and Super Bowl.
Just as Indianapolis has an NFL combine legacy, the NFL draft once had a New York City connection. From 1965 to 2014, every NFL draft took place in New York. However, since the NFL draft began traveling the nation in 2015, other towns have had the chance to host the biggest offseason event in the league. The same outcome might be achieved by relocating the NFL combine. However, the owners of the Indianapolis Colts, Jim Irsay, and other Indianapolis supporters have been adamantly opposed to abandoning the NFL combine custom.
When the league announced in May 2022 that the Combine will stay in Indianapolis for 2023 and 2024, Irsay remarked, “I’m proud the Combine will continue to stay in our city. Indianapolis is a city built to host major sporting events.” After the league made its decision on Thursday, Indianapolis’ combine streak is guaranteed to extend for at least 39 years. Copyright ABG-SI LLC. All rights reserved. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC.
