The combine has come under plenty of criticism in the past, including claims of racially biased evaluations and comparisons to slave markets with a group of athletes, most of them Black, being tested in a public display. This year, the league will not administer the Wonderlic I.Q. test, which some have criticized for having baked-in biases. Teams, however, can still use the test if they choose.
In January, the N.F.L. also informed teams they could be fined at least $150,000 and lose a draft pick if any club employee engaged in disrespectful conduct by asking players during interviews about topics like sexual orientation and mental health. It was the first time the league specified any potential penalties for offensive questioning.
But the N.F.L.’s expanded coverage of the combine has prompted new criticism that the routine evaluation is being turned into a commercial spectacle.
This year, 10,000 fans will be able to attend each of the four nights when on-field evaluations are held. And in May, N.F.L. team owners will vote on bids from Indianapolis, Dallas and Los Angeles to host the combine in 2023 and 2024. NFL Network will broadcast more than 50 hours of live coverage this year with 40 hosts and analysts, particularly focused on the on-field events, which were moved to prime time slots in 2020.
Despite the growing focus, the league said it was being very deliberate in how it expanded the combine to ensure that its core purpose — evaluating prospects — was not undermined.
“But there is such fan demand — interest from college fans, N.F.L. fans — and it’s grown since 2004 when it first went on NFL Network,” said Peter O’Reilly, the executive vice president for league events. Team personnel have “seen what the draft has become, the energy and how the prospects want to be there, and the core fans near the stage. It’s a great showcase of our games.”