Road to the Pros: Behind the Scenes at Mobile’s Senior Bowl

The Senior Bowl is a BIG DEAL in Mobile (it even made our list of top 10 events).

This bowl game is a showcase of college football’s best, right in our backyard. 

This post will let you in on all that excitement! 

You’ll see how future pros battle it out in their final college game. 

And, as a local, I’m sharing the inside scoop. 

From intense training to the electric atmosphere in the stands, I’ll do my best to infect you with Mobile’s football bug. 

So, get ready to understand what makes the Senior Bowl a community highlight. 

Let’s get you all caught up on Mobile’s beloved football tradition! 

What is the Senior Bowl? 

The Senior Bowl is where college football’s finest strut their stuff.

It’s an all-star game held every year right here in Mobile.

Imagine all the best NFL Draft prospects who’ve just finished college football… 

They’re all here, showing off their skills. 

But it’s more than a game. 

The Senior Bowl is actually a big fundraiser, too! 

Local and regional organizations benefit from it, with over $7.8 million raised so far. 

Think of it as a mix of fierce competition and community spirit. 

It’s our way of giving back while enjoying the sport we love. 

That’s the Senior Bowl for you — football with a heart.

A Quick History Lesson on The Senior Bowl

The Senior Bowl kicked off in 1950 in Jacksonville, Florida. 

But Mobile, Alabama, became its home the very next year. 

The game has been a Saturday staple in January since then, with a few exceptions. 

It was the first game where college players could get paid. 

Originally, players pocketed a few hundred bucks, a nice sum back then. 

But by 1988, the paydays ended. 

The Senior Bowl became more about showcasing talent, not cash. 

It’s always been a lead-up to the NFL’s Super Bowl, setting the stage for football’s next stars.

TV loved it, too!

NBC first broadcasted the game in 1958.

ESPN and the NFL Network have also joined in, bringing the game to millions. 

Sponsors like Reese’s and Nike have added their flair, making it more of a tradition with a bit of marketing magic. 

Fun fact: In 1958, players became Honorary Admirals in the Alabama State Navy. 

How cool is that?

The Game Format

Players are split into two teams, traditionally North vs. South. 

But in 1991, things got a bit mixed up. They tried naming teams AFC and NFC, like in the pros. 

It was a tad confusing, so in 1994, it was back to North vs. South. 

Recently, they switched it up again to American and National teams.

Who coaches these squads? 

NFL staff from teams that didn’t quite top the charts, but their coaches are still kicking. 

Recently, head coaches have stepped back, letting assistants shine. 

It’s a neat way to see new coaching styles.

The rules? 

They’re tweaked to keep players safe and the game simple.

We’re talking ‘no low blocks’ and ‘easy on the blitzes.’ 

Plus, it’s the players’ first taste of pro rules, like needing both feet in bounds for a catch.

Some players skip the bowl to prep for other big days, like the NFL combine or their college pro day.

Senior Bowl Week Events

There’s a palpable buildup before the big game. 

The Senior Bowl week usually runs from the end of January to early February. 

During this time, Mobile buzzes with energy and anticipation. 

The week is packed with various events, both for the players and the community.

One of the main attractions is the intense practice sessions.

These are a crucial part of the scouting process, attended by NFL coaches, general managers, and scouts. 

It’s here where players get to showcase their skills, agility, and game-readiness in a highly competitive environment.

For many, this is a golden opportunity to impress the key decision-makers in NFL football.

Community involvement is also a significant aspect of the Senior Bowl Week.

Activities around town provide insights into the game’s intricacies and promote football’s future. 

Gotta start ’em young, you know?

The Senior Bowl’s Impact on Mobile 

The Senior Bowl is a big win for Mobile, Alabama, bringing in a significant economic impact. 

In 2015, the event generated around $27 million for the city. 

This influx is due to over 35,000 visitors coming to town, boosting local businesses and increasing tax revenues. 

The Senior Bowl is not just a sports event; it’s a community celebration. 

It brings football fans together, strengthens family bonds, and creates job opportunities. 

It’s an event that truly brings life and excitement to the city…

And it reinforces Mobile’s identity as a vibrant, football-loving community!

Senior Bowl Accepted Invites 

The 2024 Senior Bowl is rolling out a star-studded lineup from colleges nationwide. 

These players are the top picks, ready to form the National and American squads. 

Watch as they bring their A-game to this premier all-star showdown!

School	First Name	Last Names	Position
Penn State	Johnny	Dixon	DB
Oregon	Khyree	Jackson	DB
Oregon State	Kitan	Oladapo	DB
Toldeo	Quinyon	Mitchell	DB
Ohio State	Josh	Proctor	DB
Rutgers	Max	Meltron	DB
Wake Forest	Malik	Mustapha	DB
Wake Forest	Caelen	Carson	DB
Missouri	Ennis	Rakestraw Jr.	DB
Missouri	Kris	Abrams-Draine	DB
Maryland	Beau	Brade	DB
Kentucky	Andru	Phillips	DB
Louisville	Quincy	Riley	DB
Notre Dame	Cam	Hart	DB
Georgia	Tykee	Smith	DB
Auburn	Jaylin	Simpson	DB
Auburn	Nehemiah	Pritchett	DB
Auburn	DJ	James	DB
TCU	Josh	Newton	DB
Texas	Jahdae	Barron	DB
Virginia State	Willie	Drew	DB
Washington State	Chau	Smith-Wade	DB
Clemson	Ruke	Orhorhoro	DL
Clemson	Tyler	Davis	DL
Penn State	Adisa	Isaac	DL
Oregon	Brandon	Dorlus	DL
Texas	Byron	Murphy II	DL
Duke	DeWayne	Carter	DL
Ole Miss	Cedric	Johnson	DL
Auburn	Marcus	Harris	DL
Mississippi State	Jaden	Crumedy	DL
Missouri	Darius	Robinson	DL
Western Michigan	Marshawn	Kneeland	DL
Illinois	Keith	Randolph Jr.	DL
Florida State	Braden	Fiske	DL
UCLA	Laiatu	Latu	DL
Alabama	Justin	Eboigbe	DL
Alabama	Chris	Braswell	DL
Troy	Javon	Solomon	DL
Texas A&M	McKinnley	Jackson	DL
Baylor	Gabe	Hall	DL
Houston	Nelson	Ceaser	DL
Texas Tech	Myles	Cole	DL
Texas	T’Vondre	Sweat	DL
Washington State	Brennan	Jackson	DL
Ohio State	Tommy	Eichenberg	LB
North Carolina	Cedric	Gray	LB
North Carolina State	Payton	Wilson	LB
Georgia State	Jontrey	Hunter	LB
Mississippi State	Nathaniel	Watson	LB
Missouri	Ty’Ron	Hopper	LB
UTEP	Tyrice	Knight	LB
Notre Dame	JD	Bertrand	LB
Houston Christian	Jalyx	Hunt	LB
Texas	Jaylan	Ford	LB
Washington	Edefuan	Ulofoshio	LB
Wisconsin	Peter	Bowden	LS
Georgia	William	Mote	LS
Oregon State	Taliese	Fuaga	OL
Oklahoma	Andrew	Raym	OL
Oklahoma	Tyler	Guyton	OL
Duke	Graham	Barton	OL
Missouri	Javon	Foster	OL
Maryland	Delmar	Glaze	OL
LSU	Charles	Turner III	OL
Kansas	Dominick	Puni	OL
Kansas State	Cooper	Beebe	OL
Illinois	Isaiah	Adams	OL
Georgia	Sedrick	Van Pran	OL
Florida	Kingsley	Eguakun	OL
Miami	Javion	Cohen	OL
UCONN	Christian	Haynes	OL
Arizona	Jordan	Morgan	OL
Texas A&M	Layden	Robinson	OL
TCU	Brandon	Coleman	OL
Houston	Patrick	Paul	OL
Texas	Christian	Jones	OL
Utah	Sataoa	Laumea	OL
Washington	Troy	Fautanu	OL
Wisconsin	Tanor	Bortolini	OL
Marshall	Ethan	Driskell	OL
West Virginia	Zach	Frazier	OL
Alabama	Will	Reichard	PK
Stanford	Joshua	Karty	PK
Texas Tech	Austin	McNamara	PT
Iowa	Tory	Taylor	PT
Tennessee	Joe	Milton III	QB
South Carolina	Spencer	Rattler	QB
Oregon	Bo	Nix	QB
Tulane	Michael	Pratt	QB
Notre Dame	Sam	Hartman	QB
New Hampshire	Dylan	Laube	RB
Missouri	Cody	Schrader	RB
USC	MarShawn	Lloyd	RB
Troy	Kimani	Vidal	RB
Marshall	Rasheen	Ali	RB
Kentucky	Ray	Davis	RB
Penn State	Theo	Johnson	TE
Minnesota	Brevyn	Spann-Ford	TE
Kansas State	Ben	Sinnott	TE
Florida State	Jaheim	Bell	TE
TCU	Jared	Wiley	TE
South Carolina	Xavier	Legette	WR
North Carolina	Devontez	Walker	WR
Western Kentucky	Malachi	Corley	WR
Louisville	Jamari	Thrash	WR
Tulane	Jha’Quan	Jackson	WR
Georgia	Marcus	Rosemy-Jacksaint	WR
Georgia	Ladd	McConkey	WR
Florida	Ricky	Pearsall	WR
Florida State	Johnny	Wilson	WR
USC	Brenden	Rice	WR
Arizona	Jacob	Cowing	WR
Texas A&M	Ainias	Smith	WR
Rice	Luke	McCaffrey	WR
Texas	Jordan	Whittington	WR

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Past Senior Bowl Winners and Losers 

Date	North / AFC / American team			South / NFC / National team			Series
	Coach	Coach’s team	Score	Score	Coach’s team	Coach
January 7, 1950	Bo McMillin	Detroit Lions	13	22	New York Giants	Steve Owen	South, 1–0
January 6, 1951	Bo McMillin	Detroit Lions	18	19	New York Giants	Steve Owen	South, 2–0
January 5, 1952	Paul Brown	Cleveland Browns	20	6	New York Giants	Steve Owen	South, 2–1
January 3, 1953	Paul Brown	Cleveland Browns	28	13	New York Giants	Steve Owen	Tied, 2–2
January 9, 1954	Paul Brown	Cleveland Browns	20	14	New York Giants	Steve Owen	North, 3–2
January 8, 1955	Paul Brown	Cleveland Browns	6	12	New York Giants	Steve Owen	Tied, 3–3
January 7, 1956	Buddy Parker	Detroit Lions	2	12	Cleveland Browns	Paul Brown	South, 4–3
January 5, 1957	Joe Kuharich	Washington Redskins	7	21	Cleveland Browns	Paul Brown	South, 5–3
January 11, 1958	Joe Kuharich	Washington Redskins	15	13	Cleveland Browns	Paul Brown	South, 5–4
January 3, 1959	Joe Kuharich	Washington Redskins	12	21	Cleveland Browns	Paul Brown	South, 6–4
January 9, 1960	Jim Lee Howell	New York Giants	26	7	Baltimore Colts	Weeb Ewbank	South, 6–5
January 7, 1961	Jim Lee Howell	New York Giants	26	33	Baltimore Colts	Weeb Ewbank	South, 7–5
January 6, 1962	Tom Landry	Dallas Cowboys	7	42	Baltimore Colts	Weeb Ewbank	South, 8–5
January 5, 1963	Tom Landry	Dallas Cowboys	27	33	Baltimore Colts	Weeb Ewbank	South, 9–5
January 4, 1964	George Wilson	Detroit Lions	21	28	Dallas Cowboys	Tom Landry	South, 10–5
January 9, 1965	George Wilson	Detroit Lions	7	7	Dallas Cowboys	Tom Landry	South, 10–5–1
January 8, 1966	Mike Holovak	Boston Patriots	18	27	New York Jets	Weeb Ewbank	South, 11–5–1
January 7, 1967	Norm Van Brocklin	Atlanta Falcons	35	13	Washington Redskins	Otto Graham	South, 11–6–1
January 6, 1968	Mike Holovak	Boston Patriots	21	34	Kansas City Chiefs	Hank Stram	South, 12–6–1
January 11, 1969	Allie Sherman	New York Giants	27	16	St. Louis Cardinals	Charley Winner	South, 12–7–1
January 10, 1970	Lou Saban	Denver Broncos	37	37	Baltimore Colts	Don Shula	South, 12–7–2
January 9, 1971	Lou Saban	Denver Broncos	31	13	New York Jets	Weeb Ewbank	South, 12–8–2
January 8, 1972	Alex Webster	New York Giants	21	26	New Orleans Saints	J. D. Roberts	South, 13–8–2
January 6, 1973	Lou Saban	Buffalo Bills	30	33	New York Jets	Weeb Ewbank	South, 14–8–2
January 12, 1974	Mike McCormack	Philadelphia Eagles	16	13	Detroit Lions	Don McCafferty	South, 14–9–2
January 11, 1975	John Ralston	Denver Broncos	17	17	San Francisco 49ers	Dick Nolan	South, 14–9–3
January 11, 1976	Chuck Fairbanks	New England Patriots	42	35	Chicago Bears	Jack Pardee	South, 14–10–3
January 8, 1977	Forrest Gregg	Cleveland Browns	27	24	Miami Dolphins	Don Shula	South, 14–11–3
January 7, 1978	Don Coryell	St. Louis Cardinals	17	14	Atlanta Falcons	Leeman Bennett	South, 14–12–3
January 13, 1979	Walt Michaels	New York Jets	21	41	New Orleans Saints	Dick Nolan	South, 15–12–3
January 12, 1980	Bud Grant	Minnesota Vikings	57	3	New York Giants	Ray Perkins	South, 15–13–3
January 17, 1981	Bill Walsh	San Francisco 49ers	23	10	Denver Broncos	Red Miller	South, 15–14–3
January 16, 1982	Marv Levy	Kansas City Chiefs	10	27	Pittsburgh Steelers	Chuck Noll	South, 16–14–3
January 22, 1983	Frank Kush	Baltimore Colts	14	6	New Orleans Saints	Bum Phillips	South, 16–15–3
January 14, 1984	Kay Stephenson	Buffalo Bills	20	21	San Diego Chargers	Don Coryell	South, 17–15–3
January 12, 1985	Jim Hanifan	St. Louis Cardinals	7	23	Green Bay Packers	Forrest Gregg	South, 18–15–3
January 18, 1986	Dan Reeves	Denver Broncos	31	17	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Leeman Bennett	South, 18–16–3
January 17, 1987	John Robinson	Los Angeles Rams	38	42	Miami Dolphins	Don Shula	South, 19–16–3
January 23, 1988	Chuck Knox	Seattle Seahawks	21	7	New Orleans Saints	Jim Mora	South, 19–17–3
January 21, 1989	Dan Reeves	Denver Broncos	12	13	Los Angeles Rams	John Robinson	South, 20–17–3
January 20, 1990	Marty Schottenheimer	Kansas City Chiefs	41	0	Philadelphia Eagles	Buddy Ryan	South, 20–18–3
January 19, 1991	Marty Schottenheimer	Kansas City Chiefs	38	28	New Orleans Saints	Jim Mora	AFC, 1–0
January 18, 1992	Art Shell	Los Angeles Raiders	13	10	Chicago Bears	Mike Ditka	AFC, 2–0
January 16, 1993	Ted Marchibroda	Indianapolis Colts	6	21	Cleveland Browns	Bill Belichick	AFC, 2–1
January 22, 1994	Rich Kotite	Philadelphia Eagles	32	35	Miami Dolphins	Don Shula	South, 21–18–3
January 21, 1995	Dan Reeves	New York Giants	7	14	Indianapolis Colts	Ted Marchibroda	South, 22–18–3
January 20, 1996	Dennis Erickson	Seattle Seahawks	25	10	Chicago Bears	Dave Wannstedt	South, 22–19–3
January 18, 1997	Norv Turner	Washington Redskins	35	14	Kansas City Chiefs	Marty Schottenheimer	South, 22–20–3
January 17, 1998	Ted Marchibroda	Baltimore Ravens	8	31	Washington Redskins	Norv Turner	South, 23–20–3
January 23, 1999	Jon Gruden	Oakland Raiders	21	31	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Tony Dungy	South, 24–20–3
January 22, 2000	George Seifert	Carolina Panthers	24	21	Kansas City Chiefs	Gunther Cunningham	South, 24–21–3
January 20, 2001	Bill Cowher	Pittsburgh Steelers	16	21	Green Bay Packers	Mike Sherman	South, 25–21–3
January 26, 2002	Mike Holmgren	Seattle Seahawks	26	41	Arizona Cardinals	Dave McGinnis	South, 26–21–3
January 18, 2003	Dom Capers	Houston Texans	17	0	Detroit Lions	Marty Mornhinweg	South, 26–22–3
January 24, 2004	Marvin Lewis	Cincinnati Bengals	10	28	San Diego Chargers	Marty Schottenheimer	South, 27–22–3
January 29, 2005	Norv Turner	Oakland Raiders	23	13	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Jon Gruden	South, 27–23–3
January 28, 2006	Jeff Fisher	Tennessee Titans	31	14	San Francisco 49ers	Mike Nolan	South, 27–24–3
January 27, 2007	Jon Gruden	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	27	0	San Francisco 49ers	Mike Nolan	South, 27–25–3
January 26, 2008	Lane Kiffin	Oakland Raiders	16	17	San Francisco 49ers	Mike Nolan	South, 28–25–3
January 24, 2009	Marvin Lewis	Cincinnati Bengals	18	35	Jacksonville Jaguars	Jack Del Rio	South, 29–25–3
January 30, 2010	Jim Schwartz	Detroit Lions	31	13	Miami Dolphins	Tony Sparano	South, 29–26–3
January 29, 2011	Marvin Lewis	Cincinnati Bengals	10	24	Buffalo Bills	Chan Gailey	South, 30–26–3
January 28, 2012	Leslie Frazier	Minnesota Vikings	23	13	Washington Redskins	Mike Shanahan	South, 30–27–3
January 26, 2013	Dennis Allen	Oakland Raiders	16	21	Detroit Lions	Jim Schwartz	South, 31–27–3
January 25, 2014	Mike Smith	Atlanta Falcons	10	20	Jacksonville Jaguars	Gus Bradley	South, 32–27–3
January 24, 2015	Ken Whisenhunt	Tennessee Titans	34	13	Jacksonville Jaguars	Gus Bradley	South, 32–28–3
January 30, 2016	Jason Garrett	Dallas Cowboys	16	27	Jacksonville Jaguars	Gus Bradley	South, 33–28–3
January 28, 2017	John Fox	Chicago Bears	15	16	Cleveland Browns	Hue Jackson	South, 34–28–3
January 27, 2018	Vance Joseph	Denver Broncos	16	45	Houston Texans	Bill O’Brien	South, 35–28–3
January 26, 2019	Jon Gruden	Oakland Raiders	34	24	San Francisco 49ers	Kyle Shanahan	South, 35–29–3
January 25, 2020	Matt Patricia	Detroit Lions	34	17	Cincinnati Bengals	Zac Taylor	South, 35–30–3
January 30, 2021	Matt Rhule	Carolina Panthers	24	27	Miami Dolphins	Brian Flores	National, 1–0
February 5, 2022	Dan Campbell	Detroit Lions	10	20	New York Jets	Robert Saleh	National, 2–0
February 4, 2023	Luke Getsy	Chicago Bears	10	27	Las Vegas Raiders	Patrick Graham	National, 3–0

Looking to the Future

The Senior Bowl’s future looks bright and full of potential. 

With new rules allowing underclassmen to join, the talent pool is richer and more varied than ever. 

Expect to see fresh faces and rising stars, making each game a unique experience. 

This mix of new and seasoned players keeps the game vibrant and unpredictable. 

The Senior Bowl is set to remain a highlight in the football calendar, showcasing the best of college football.

It also hints at the future of the NFL!

It’s an exciting time for players and fans alike, with each year offering new surprises and talents.

Let’s gooo! 

FAQs

Where is the Reese’s Senior Bowl? 

It’s happening at the University of South Alabama’s Hancock Whitney Stadium!

So, if you’re a football fiend and want to catch some top-notch draft prospects in action —

This is where you’ll want to be on February 3, 2024. 

It’s the perfect spot to see future NFL stars before they make it big!

What is the route for the Senior Bowl Parade 2024?

For the latest updates and specifics on the parade route, keep an eye on the Senior Bowl’s official site as the event approaches. 

It’s the go-to place for all the fun happenings around the Senior Bowl! 

You can check for updates here.

Where can I watch the Reese’s Senior Bowl? 

The 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl is all set to be aired live on the NFL Network. 

So, if you’re eager to catch the action, mark your calendar for Saturday, February 3, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. EST. 

It’s going to be a thrilling display of some of the best college football talents, all vying for a spot in the big leagues. 

Don’t miss it!

Final Thoughts

The Senior Bowl in Mobile is a thrilling event where college football’s future stars shine. 

It’s not just a game; it’s a community celebration, boosting the local economy and spirit. 

Each year brings excitement with top-notch talents, making it a must-watch for football enthusiasts. 

It’s a proud Mobile tradition, spotlighting the city’s love for the sport. 

Truly, the Senior Bowl is where football dreams soar and Mobile’s passion for the game skyrockets. 

It’s a key milestone in football history and a beacon for new talent stepping into the NFL limelight!