College football all-star game kicks off on Saturday, Jan. 22 at 4 p.m. EST
The longest-running college football all-star game, the East-West Shrine Game®, moves to NFL Network to showcase seniors as they prepare to take the next step to the professional ranks. Current and former NFL superstars, including Tom Brady, Brett Favre and John Elway, have played in the game, which will be held at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando on Saturday, Jan. 22 at 4 p.m.
"It is great for the East-West Shrine Game to be partnered with the NFL Network. NFL Network realizes that this is more than just a game. It gives the NFL teams another chance to evaluate players for the upcoming draft as well as supports Shriners Hospitals for Children's 22 hospitals that have thus far treated nearly a million children with no incurred cost to the patients or their families," said Harold Richardson, Executive Director of the East-West Shrine Game.
The East-West Shrine Game features some of the top senior players from schools across the country. Since its inception on Dec. 26, 1925, 62 alumni from the East-West Shrine Game have gone on to become Pro Football Hall of Famers, including Elway, Gale Sayers,Dick Butkus,Kellen Winslow and Larry Csonka. There are 246 alumni currently on NFL rosters and 195 East-West alumni are in the College Football Hall of Fame.
"The East-West Shrine Game is one of the top college all-star games and features a number of the future top NFL Draft picks," said Lawrence Randall, director of programming, NFL Network. "We continue to increase our programming leading up the primetime NFL Draft and look forward to highlighting these star players as they compete head-to-head prior to the NFL Scouting Combine."
This is the first time the East-West Shrine Game will be televised on NFL Network. It is part of the 2011 NFL Draft preview programming, which also includes the "Path to the Draft" nightly news shows and exclusive coverage of the Senior Bowl and NFL Scouting Combine.
The game uses NFL rules, and the teams are coached by NFL-affiliated coaching staffs. The teams are divided by East and West, but the players come together for the beneficiary of the event, Shriners Hospitals for Children®.
For more information about the East-West Shrine Game, please visit Shrine Game.
