Report: NFL Combine in jeopardy with draft prospects organizing boycott

In a shocking report Sunday night, the NFL may be facing a potential boycott of the combine organized by NFL agents demanding policy changes. The NFL Scouting Combine is scheduled to begin on Mar. 1, although it’s unclear how quickly the NFL will be able to organize a response to the potential threat of a boycott. The boycott stems from a report that future NFL players are seeking major changes to the NFL’s “bubble” restrictions.

NFL Combine facing boycott

“Agents representing more than 150 draft prospects are organizing a boycott of all testing, on-field workouts and interviews at next month’s NFL scouting combine if heavy ‘bubble’ restrictions aren’t changed,” stated NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport on Sunday.

The threat of a boycott comes barely more than a week before the NFL Scouting Combine is set to begin, and could potentially disrupt the NFL’s offseason greatly. The NFL Draftees appear to be unhappy with the conditions set by the NFL for this year’s combine, to be held in Indianapolis. The NFL altered this year’s combine in a number of ways, including allowing no in-person workouts at the combine. They will instead take place during college pro days, and all interviews and psychological tests will be held virtually with limitations to in-person medical exams.

“Unless the NFL and the combine agree to ease those restrictions — allowing players access to their full team of coaches, trainers, ATCs et al. as in past years — many top prospects will only do medical evaluations next month in Indianapolis,” added Rapoport.

The NFL also previously sent a memo clarifying their changes to the combine, which detailed their ban on private workouts and facility visits.

“The presence of a college player at a club’s facility is prohibited, even if the player has been invited by a current NFL player,” read an official NFL memo on the changes. “If a college player appears at a club’s facility, he should be advised that his presence is prohibited by NFL rules and should be requested to leave immediately. A violation of this type will subject the involved club and club employee to appropriate penalties under the League’s anti-tampering policy.”