The NFL Scouting Combine was about the last thing the league did in 2020 that wasn’t affected by the coronavirus pandemic. But almost a year later, the NFL has decided the 2021 version of the event will be drastically changed because of the COVID-19 crisis.
The top prospects for the NFL Draft won’t gather in Indianapolis next month, as they have annually since 1987. But the league doesn’t consider the combine canceled.
Instead, a memo sent from the league office to the NFL’s 32 teams on Monday said, “The 2021 combine will be conducted in a different format. There will be no in-person workouts at the combine. Instead, any workouts will take place on the individual pro days on college campuses.”
To keep each team from having to send personnel to every college pro day, the NFL said it would “ensure that all clubs have access to video from those workouts.”
The league also said it would “work with the schools to encourage consistency in testing and drills across pro days.”
The medical tests usually done during the combine probably will be performed by physicians and clinics closer to the prospects’ locations, the NFL told its teams, although “for a certain number of prospects, an in-person examination will take place at one or more designated locations, likely in early April.”
The interviews that teams conduct with the prospects in Indianapolis will be done virtually this year.
The plan for the 2021 Combine was developed by a committee led by New York Giants owner John Mara. Also on the committee were Arizona Cardinals owner Michael Bidwell, Cincinnati Bengals Executive Vice President Katie Blackburn, general managers Kevin Colbert of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Rick Spielman of the Minnesota Vikings, Giants head athletic trainer Ronnie Barnes and physicians Tony Casolaro of the Washington Football Team and Allen Sills, the NFL’s chief medical officer.
The 2021 NFL Draft is scheduled to be held from April 29 through May 1 in Cleveland.
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.
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January 19, 2021 at 09:04AM
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NFL won’t gather prospects in Indianapolis for annual combine this year - al.com
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