The NFL moved many combine activities to primetime for the event’s growing TV audience, but they appear to have angered some of the people involved in the process.
Various reports indicate that many players, trainers, and athletes were negatively impacted by the scheduling. One agent complained to Matt Miller of Bleacher Report about how the TV scheduling has impacted downtime and has led to more injuries for participating players.
Something many agents and trainers are frustrated with today (and all week) is the amount of waiting and down time prospects have between drills.
One trainer told me we're seeing higher # of soft tissue injuries during workouts because of this.
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) March 1, 2020
An agent for one of the top firms told me:
"If (the NFL) is going to make guys stand around and wait for hours to workout, ours will bow out next year. We're not risking hamstrings, ACLs and Achilles' for TV money we don't see a part of."
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) March 1, 2020
Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline spoke to many at the Combine, and the majority of figures he’d spoken to “detest” the new schedule. Many players experienced excessive waiting for drills. Navy’s Malcolm Perry, who lacks a true position at the NFL level, was to be tested as a wide receiver and a running back, but did not get to test at the latter position as it was close to midnight.
“Not only do they sit around all day, but the food for the players was poor, and it was a poorly run week,” one veteran of 15 Combines told Pauline. “Top agencies are talking about not having their players work out (at the combine) next year.”
It may be that players starting using the answer Chase Young gave when it came to the Combine. The NFL’s desire to play things up for a TV audience is understandable, but the event should benefit athletes first and foremost. It does not sound like that happened in 2020, and changes need to be made for next year.
