NFL coach receives celebratory Gatorade shower at the East-West Shrine Bowl 2025

The 100th edition of the East-West Shrine Bowl took place on Thursday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. The last three years saw the West team dominate the all-star college bowl game and take home the dub. However, this year, the East team finally put an end to their losing streak and secured a 25-0 shutout victory.

Atlanta Falcons special teams coordinator Marquice Williams headed the East team, which included talents like Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Kyle McCord, Dominic Lovett and others.

After the game, as Williams was going around meeting with the coaches and players, Kentucky linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson took the opportunity to give Williams a Gatorade shower to celebrate their victory. Williams took it like a sport while being stunned by Johnson's sudden hilarious gesture.

During the 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl, several NFL prospects made a strong case for themselves and increased their draft stock. This was also the first shutout victory in the Shrine Bowl since 1969, giving a glimpse of the caliber of the 2025 draft class.

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Top-performing players of the 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl

On the East team, Arizona running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt put up an impressive performance on offense. He began his collegiate career with Alabama State and played four seasons there before spending one season with New Mexico. He then joined the Wildcats in 2024, where he made one appearance while rushing for 106 yards and a touchdown.

Despite a mediocre final collegiate year, Croskey-Merritt gave a glimpse of his potential during the 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl. He led the East team's offense with 97 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 11 carries.

Another notable player on the East team's defense was South Carolina defensive back O'Donnell Fortune. He made an impressive 65-yard pick-six to give his team a 20-point lead in the second quarter of the game. Ole Miss defensive lineman JJ Pegues also made a highlight one-handed interception in the second half, showcasing the East team's strong defensive performance.

Colorado coach Deion Sanders' son, Shilo Sanders, had a mediocre performance during the East-West Shrine Bowl practice week. But the safety managed to shrug it off and was on top for the West team with his open-field tackles.

A few other players who had a solid East-West Shrine Bowl game were Texas Tech cornerback Tahj Brooks, Miami CB Francisco Mauigoa and Arizona State safety Shamari Simmons. Scouts will now be interested to see how this year's prospects perform during the NFL scouting combine next month.