The 100th East-West Shrine Bowl was a big win for the East team, which defeated its opponent 25-0, making it the event’s first shutout since 1969. The game took place on Jan. 30 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, after a week of practice.
Coach Prime’s Pride in Shilo and Shedeur Sanders Representing Colorado
Apart from being a showcase of talent, the Shrine Bowl is also a charitable event that helps the Shriners Hospitals for Children. Regarding this, Coach Prime reflected on his sons, Shedeur and Shilo, representing Colorado and their philanthropic spirit:
“Well, it is wonderful just seeing young kids and adults as less fortunate, unfortunate, that has some disability, or something that’s trapped in a life that has apprehended them, when you see all these guys go and try to put a smile on their face, it’s unbelievable. And I love that these guys want to, not that they’re forced to, but they want to, I love that 100%.
“They’ve done so much stuff behind the curtains, giving and loving and caring for people that was never photographed or never recorded, so that’s been our life, a part of our life, the entirety of their life.”
“To see these guys go and just try to put a smile on their face, it’s unbelievable.”
Spending time with the @ShrinersHosp patients is always the best part of the #ShrineBowl week 🫶@DeionSanders | @lightsouttv pic.twitter.com/s6RqaDTkce
— East-West Shrine Bowl (@ShrineBowl) January 31, 2025
Five Buffs partook in this year’s All-Star game. Apart from Shilo, LaJohntay Wester, Jimmy Horn Jr., Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig, and Will Sheppard also played on the West team.
Shedeur was invited as well but decided not to participate to avoid possible injury before the 2025 NFL Draft, opting to be an interview-only participant. Shilo, who is expected to be selected in the later rounds of the draft, had a bit of an up-and-down week during practice.
Nevertheless, Coach Prime’s sons’ character can be credited to him as a father, as Shedeur put it. Although the QB was not part of the Shrine Bowl itself, he met with some teams on Jan. 24 ahead of the draft, following which he talked about Deion’s mindset while raising him and his siblings:
“That’s when we got a different type of attitude and different type of grit to us because he made sure we understand, ‘We have a nice house, but this is all my [Deion’s] stuff. This isn’t your stuff.’ So then, we inherited that mindset that us going into any situation, we’re comfortable wherever we’re at.”
Shedeur Sanders on how his father raised him and made sure they understood they had to go get their own. pic.twitter.com/vx5FNioCvG
— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) January 25, 2025
And in another instance of his giving nature, Shedeur revealed in November that he plans to continue shaping the Buffaloes even after leaving college football, with intentions to share part of his Name, Image, and Likeness, or NIL, earnings to the NIL collective.
Shedeur Sanders says he’s going to donate to Colorado’s NIL collective next season to make sure the Buffs have a super team😂🔥 pic.twitter.com/rFr0QRRbaO
— GUCCE🦬🐦⬛ (@gucceCU) November 29, 2024
“It’s basically set them up for success, and everything in my power I personally can do, I’m going to do,” Shedeur said.
“I’m going to donate to the collective, for sure. It’s a tax write-off,” he joked. “So yeah, I’ll donate to the collective so I’ll make sure we have a super team next year.”
Shedeur threw for 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns in his 2024 campaign and is projected to be selected as the No. 6 overall pick by the Las Vegas Raiders in Pro Football Network’s latest 2025 NFL mock draft.