The East-West Shrine Bowl is a college football all-star game that has been held annually since 1925, making it the longest-running college all-star football game in the United States. Initially known as the East-West Shrine Game, it was renamed in 2020 to reflect its significance as a bowl game. The event features top senior college football players from across the country, providing them with an opportunity to showcase their skills to NFL scouts and teams. The game also serves a charitable purpose, with proceeds benefiting Shriners Hospitals for Children, which provides specialized medical care to children regardless of their families' ability to pay.
According to Shrine Bowl's official website, the East-West Shrine Bowl originated from a baseball game played by the Islam Shriners and the Elks, aimed at raising funds for charity. In 1925, E. Jack Spaulding proposed replacing the baseball contest with a football game to generate more visibility and support for charitable causes. Since then, the bowl has evolved into a significant event in college football, attracting attention from fans and professional scouts alike. The East-West Shrine Bowl pits players from the East Coast against those from the West Coast. The format allows for high competition levels, showcasing some of the best talents in college football. In recent years, NFL coaching staff have been involved in training and managing teams during the week leading up to the game. The 2025 edition of the Shrine Bowl is set to take place on January 30, 2025, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. It will be broadcast nationally on NFL Network. This year marks a significant milestone as it is the 100th annual event, celebrating a century of tradition and excellence in college football.
List of East-West Shrine Bowl’s MVP
The East-West Shrine Bowl not only serves as a showcase for top college football talent but also recognizes outstanding individual performances through its MVP awards.
| Year | Offensive MVP | College | Position | Defensive MVP | College | Position |
| 2000 | Marcus Knight | Michigan | WR | Erik Flowers | Arizona State | DE |
| 2001 | Steve Smith | Utah | WR | Leo Barnes | Southern Mississippi | DB |
| 2002 | Deonce Whitaker | San Jose State | RB | Everick Rawls | Texas | LB |
| 2003 | Donald Lee | Mississippi State | TE | Tully Banta-Cain | Cal | DE |
| 2004 | Ryan Dinwiddie | Boise State | QB | Brandon Chillar | UCLA | LB |
| 2005 | Stefan LeFors | Louisville | QB | Alex Green | Duke | S |
| 2006 | Reggie McNeal | Texas A&M | QB | James Wyche | Syracuse | DE |
| 2007 | Jeff Rowe | Nevada | QB | Dan Bazuin | Central Michigan | DE |
| 2008 | Josh Johnson | San Diego | QB | Spencer Larsen | Arizona | LB |
| 2009 | Marlon Lucky | Nebraska | RB | Michael Tauiliili | Duke | LB |
| 2010 | Mike Kafka | Northwestern | QB | O'Brien Schofield | Wisconsin | DE |
| 2011 | Delone Carter | Syracuse | RB | Martin Parker | Richmond | DT |
| 2012 | Lennon Creer | Louisiana Tech | RB | Nick Sukay | Penn State | CB |
| 2013 | Chad Bumphis | Mississippi State | WR | Nigel Malone | Kansas State | CB |
| 2014 | Jimmy Garoppolo | Eastern Illinois | QB | Ethan Westbrooks | West Texas A&M | DE |
| 2015 | Marvin Kloss | South Florida | K | Za'Darius Smith | Kentucky | DE |
| 2016 | Vernon Adams | Oregon | QB | Michael Caputo | Wisconsin | S |
| 2017 | Elijah McGuire | Louisiana–Lafayette | RB | Trey Hendrickson | Florida Atlantic | DE |
| 2018 | Daurice Fountain | Northern Iowa | WR | Natrell Jamerson | Wisconsin | S |
| 2019 | Terry Godwin | Georgia | WR | Justin Hollins | Oregon | LB |
| 2020 | Benny LeMay | Charlotte | RB | Luther Kirk | Illinois State | S |
| 2022 | E. J. Perry | Brown | QB | Diego Fagot | Navy | LB |
| 2023 | Jake Moody | Michigan | K | Trey Dean III | Florida | S |
| 2024 | Frank Gore Jr. | Southern Miss | RB | Jarius Monroe | Tulane | CB |
FAQs on East–West Shrine Bowl
A. The first East-West Shrine Bowl was held in 1925.
A. According to Pro Football Network, the Shrine Bowl can be seen live on the NFL Network.
A. Frank Gore Jr. was named the Offensive MVP in the 2024 East-West Shrine Bowl.
