Before an aspiring pro football player can be offered a pro contract, he must document his measurables and skill level by attending an officially recognized combine. Players can be invited to the NFL Scouting  Combine in Indianapolis, attend a pro day combine at college or register for an Elite Football Combine.

Beginning in 1977, three separate NFL combines were conducted by three different scouting services: National, Blesto and Quadra. By 1984 these services combine their workouts and the term "combine" was born.

Today, there are Combines in all sports and at all levels and age groups. The most noted and widely known Combine is the annual NFL Combine. It is a week long showcase, occurring every February in Indianapolis, Indiana's  Lucas Stadium (and formerly at the RCA Dome until 2008) where college football players perform physical and mental tests in the front of NFL football coaches, general managers and scouts. With increasing interest in the NFL Draft, the Scouting Combine has grown in scope and significance, allowing personnel directors to evaluate upcoming prospects in a standardized setting. Its origins have evolved from the National, Blesto and Quadra Scouting services in 1977 to the media frenzy event it has become today (there is no affiliation between the NFL and The Combine Nation).