Before the NFL Scouting Combine ever existed, teams evaluated players in very different ways. 📌 In the early days of the league, long before the Super Bowl and centralized scouting, NFL teams depended on: - Word of mouth from college coaches - Local contacts and regional scouts - Newspaper All-American lists and trade magazines - Limited film (if any) of college games. Scouts literally drafted players based on reputation, newspaper clippings, and trusted recommendations. Teams sometimes had no idea what a player actually looked like in person before draft day. 📌 In the 1970s and early 80s, teams tried to create structure by holding individual team workouts — but this was costly and inefficient since players had to visit each team separately. 📌 Then in 1982, the NFL — through organizations like National Football Scouting, BLESTO, and Quadra — created the first centralized event called the National Invitational Camp (NIC), now known as the NFL Scouting Combine. It standardized drills, physicals, measurements, and evaluations so all teams could see prospects in one place. This marked a major shift from scattered, informal scouting to a structured, comprehensive evaluation process. Before radio broadcasts, before widespread film study, and before the Super Bowl spotlight, teams relied on connections and reputation. Today, it’s a week-long media event — but it all started with the need to evaluate talent more consistently and efficiently. What memories do you have of this process from the past (if any)? DBR

The Pro Bowl has changed a lot over the years… From full-on football to flag games, skills comps, and dodgeball — and fans are split. Some love the fun, low-risk vibe. Others miss the real competition. And a few just tune out completely. As a fan — what would you love to see? For the players — what’s fair to expect if they’re risking injury after a full season? Should it be competitive? Just for fun? A full-on skills showcase? Or should we scrap it and do something totally different? Curious to hear your thoughts. DBR

We spend a lot of time talking about the pros…But let’s talk about YOU for a minute. What’s your personal best sports story? Maybe it was: 🏆 A backyard game-winning touchdown ⏱️ A buzzer beater you’ll never forget ⚾ A clutch home run 🏃 A race you finished when you didn’t think you could Most of us played something at some point — and those moments stick with us forever. Drop your story in the comments. Brag a little. No Shame in that! DBR P.S. Shoutout to @Jon Whitehead for inspiring this post with some great stories of his own 🙌

Random thought hit me today…Do NFL players who don’t make the playoffs actually watch the playoffs? For example: Do they host big watch parties with teammates? Do they quietly watch at home? Or do they completely unplug and avoid football altogether? Part of me thinks some guys treat it like any job: “Season’s over… I’m not thinking about work.” And others? Football junkies who live for the game — even in the offseason. What’s your take? Have you heard stories from players? DBR POLL: What do most non-playoff NFL players do?

Congrats to Indiana for completing the perfect and coming out of nowhere to be nations best this year! There were NFL teams present as expected. This includes Mark Davis of the Raiders checking out potential 1st round picks.... cough, cough,"Mendoza"! Lots of buzz in the air, but for now... Congratulations to the Hoosiers!