The Home Run Derby encapsulates everything the lighter side of sports ought to be, an event where the MLB's biggest sluggers attempt to crush baseballs to cartoonish lengths, much to the delight of the viewing audience.
Instituted in 1985, the Home Run Derby has become an essential part of the MLB's midseason break, leading up to the All-Star Game, and fans of all ages have come to enjoy watching the league's best power hitters deposit balls out of the stadium.
The NFL could learn a thing or two from the MLB, and here are three events that could eventually become the equivalent of the Home Run Derby.
A 40-yard dash contest
The 40-yard dash is the highlight of the NFL Scouting Combine for most viewers, so why not build on it with the world-class athletes already in the league? There isn't a metric to determine who the NFL's fastest player is, with several players claiming rights to the throne. Imagine Antonio Brown, Odell Beckham Jr., DeSean Jackson, Tyreek Hill, Patrick Peterson, and other top talents burning down the field in an effort to claim superiority over each other. Get your popcorn ready, this should be a cinch for the NFL, its viewers, and its product at-large.
Longest completion contest
If the Home Run Derby judges power to some degree, a contest determining the longest completion could serve as a close equivalent. Arm strength without accuracy is functionally useless in the NFL, however, and to make the event viable, the quarterback should designate a receiver to run downfield in order to haul the ball in at its deepest point. Much like the batters choosing their pitcher, it would be a tandem event. Add in some kids in the field to defend the pass, much akin to fielding balls in the Derby, and this event could really take off.
Feats of strength
Football is a showcase for a diverse array of athleticism and a triathlon-style competition determining the NFL's strongest player could be a television spectacle. Getting the NFL's strongest linemen and linebackers to compete in the bench press, tire toss, and dead lifts would showcase the truly unique physicality the league has to offer. The NFL is far more than the sum of its skill players, and this event would embody a different side of the game.
