In honor of its 100th anniversary, the East-West Shrine Bowl announced its All-Century team, featuring four HBCU Pro Football Hall of Famers.
Jackson State has two players represented on the All-Century team: running back Walter Payton and linebacker Robert Brazile.
Payton played in the 1974 East-West Shrine Bowl after concluding his college career, which saw him rush for 3,563 rushing yards and lead the Tigers to three SWAC championships.
Entering the 1975 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears selected Payton fourth overall. He went on to play 12 years in the league and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993 as a first-ballot selection.
Brazile also participated in the 1974 East-West Shrine Bowl and was selected by the Houston Oilers sixth overall in the 1975 NFL Draft.
The Tigers’ linebacker played 10 years in the NFL, going on to be inducted into the 2018 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.
This marked the second year in a row an HBCU had two players selected in the first round of the same NFL Draft class (Tennessee State’s Ed Too Tall Jones and Waymond Bryant were selected first and fifth in the 1974 NFL Draft).
Also featured on the list are Grambling State quarterback Doug Williams and Savannah State tight end Shannon Sharpe.
Williams starred in the 1977 East-West Shrine Bowl, becoming the game’s Offensive MVP. He became the second player to win an East-West Shrine Bowl MVP after fellow Grambling State alum Gary Johnson won the Defensive MVP in 1974.
Williams made history as a member of the Washington Commanders (then Washington Redskins), becoming the first black quarterback to start in and win a Super Bowl.
Sharpe, the only Division II HBCU player named to the Shrine Bowl All-Century team, played in the 1990 Shrine Bowl.
The Savannah State alum was selected in the seventh round of the 1990 NFL Draft, ending his career with the most receiving yards for a tight end.