For Immediate Release
November 8, 2017

Contact: Brandon Parker | Communications Manager

Brandon.parker@nflpa.com | 202-756-9160

NFLPA COLLEGIATE BOWL MOVES TO THE ROSE BOWL FOR SEVENTH EDITION

Mike Martz, Darrell Green to coach teams in annual postseason all-star game on January 20

WASHINGTON, D.C. – One of the country’s most storied football venues will now be home to the premier postseason all-star contest featuring the top draft-eligible players from colleges and conferences across the country.

The seventh annual NFLPA Collegiate Bowl will be played on Saturday, January 20, 2018 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., which has been the site of five Super Bowls and numerous major college football games. The contest, scheduled for a 1 p.m. PST/4 p.m. EST kickoff, will be televised on FS1.

Founded in 2012, the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl gives prospective players the best opportunity to showcase their talents to potential employers and fans. Nearly 200 scouts, player personnel staff, general managers and head coaches from all 32 NFL teams are expected be in attendance to watch live practices, conduct player interviews and review tape.

“With my circumstances in being a small guy from a [historically black college and university] like North Carolina A&T, the odds were stacked against me,” said Chicago Bears standout running back Tarik Cohen, who was drafted in the fourth round after playing in the 2017 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl. “Playing in the Collegiate Bowl helped get me the looks I needed, along with great advice from coaches, to be in the position I am today.”

Leading this year’s batch of players are two NFL legends: Super-Bowl winning coach Mike Martz, who is back at the helm for a fourth straight year, and Hall of Fame cornerback Darrell Green, who is making his debut as a head coach on the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl sidelines.

Perhaps best known for being the offensive coordinator behind the Rams’ “Greatest Show on Turf” during their Super-Bowl winning season in 1999, Martz has become a staple in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl. Using the wisdom acquired during his tenure as the Rams head coach from 2000-2005, Martz has led the National Team to victory in each of the past three NFLPA Collegiate Bowls. Martz’s presence exposes the game’s participants to a large network of NFL teams, as he has served in a variety of coaching and coordinator roles with the Rams, Redskins, Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers and Chicago Bears.

After serving as an assistant coach in past years, Green will step into the head coach role and draw from 20 years of NFL playing experience. The renowned Washington Redskins cornerback has demonstrated a knack for connecting with the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl’s participants through stories about being overlooked out of college and consistently tabbed as undersized. In spite of this, the speedy All-Pro was selected to seven Pro Bowls and won two Super Bowls with the Redskins during the 1987 and 1991 seasons.

Participants in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl have the unique opportunity to network with and learn from current and former NFL players. These veterans provide players with first-hand insight on what it takes to win on and off the field.

Since its inception, many players have gone on to promising careers in professional football, with notable Collegiate Bowl alumni including Cohen, San Diego Chargers linebacker Jatavis Brown (2016), Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Chris Conley (2015), Seattle Seahawks tight end Luke Willson (2013), New York Jets offensive lineman Kelvin Beachum and Oakland Raiders punter Marquette King (2012).