The East-West Shrine Bowl Hall of Fame is home to some of the greatest names ever to play the game. Each year, past players are selected to join this elite club. Candidates must have played in the East-West Shrine Bowl and have accomplished something significant in their career.
As a part of the festivities surrounding the 95th East-West Shrine Bowl, Nate Burleson was inducted into the East-West Shrine Bowl Hall of Fame during the 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl at Allegiant Stadium.
The East-West Shrine Bowl™, college football’s oldest all-star game, announced today that former NFL wide receiver and longtime Shriners Children’s ambassador Nate Burleson will be inducted into the East-West Shrine Bowl Hall of Fame.
The East-West Shrine Bowl Hall of Fame is home to some of the greatest names ever to play the game. Burleson will join the elite group the week of February 2, 2023, during NFL Pro Bowl Week and East-West Shrine Bowl festivities. The Canadian-born football star is an alumnus of the 2003 East-West Shrine Bowl.
Burleson was an all-star wide receiver for the Nevada Wolf Pack at University of Nevada, Reno. That year, he was drafted in the third round by the Minnesota Vikings, and went on to play 11 years in the NFL as a wide receiver with the Vikings, Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions.
“Nate was a unanimous choice of our East-West Shrine Bowl committee this year as he has been such a strong ambassador for our game and Shriners Children’s,” said Bob Roller, Director of National Sports Management, Shriners Children’s. “He has given back to the game following his outstanding professional career and has promoted and supported our cause on his national and international media platforms this past decade. We are thrilled to have Nate join us in Las Vegas and be enshrined in our Hall of Fame.”
Burleson currently holds the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and Nevada all-time records for single-game receptions with 19 catches. In 2002, Burleson made 138 receptions, the second highest in NCAA history.
During his time as a Viking, Burleson recorded more than 1,000 receiving yards and is the only player in NFL history to have three punt returns of 90 or more yards. In 2006, he signed with the Seattle Seahawks. In 2010, he signed a five-year contract with the Detroit Lions, where he received the “Good Guy Award” for his positive interactions with the Detroit media.
Burleson’s television career began in 2014 with the NFL Network after he retired from the NFL. Burleson currently serves as an NFL Network analyst on “Good Morning Football.” He is a co-host of “CBS Mornings,” a position he started in September 2021, joining Gayle King and Tony Dokoupil. Burleson is also an Emmy Award-winning studio analyst for the CBS Television Network’s NFL pre-game show, “The NFL Today,” and makes select appearances on Nickelodeon.
In a 2020 documentary for the NFL Network, Burleson shined a light on Frederick “Fritz” Pollard, the first African-American to play and coach professional football. From 2019 to 2021, he was an entertainment correspondent for the TV show “Extra.”
A native of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Burleson resides in New Jersey with his wife, Atoya, and three children, Nathaniel, Nehemiah and Mia Pearl.
| Year | Name | School | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Nate Burleson | Nevada | WR |
| 2020 | Will Shields | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | OG |
| 2020 | Dan Pastorini | Santa Clara University | QB |
| 2019 | Troy Vincent Sr. | University of Wisconsin | CB |
| 2019 | Barry Smith | Florida State University | WR |
| 2018 | Brett Favre | University of Southern Mississippi | QB |
| 2018 | Gary Huff | Florida State University | QB |
| 2017 | Robert Porcher III | South Carolina State | DL |
| 2017 | Mark Rypien | Washington State | QB |
| 2016 | Rickey Jackson | University of Pittsburgh | LB |
| 2016 | Chris Chandler | University of Washington | QB |
| 2015 | Tommie Frazier | University of Nebraska | QB |
| 2015 | Jim Hanifan | University of California | TE |
| 2014 | Tony Berti | University of Colorado | OT |
| 2014 | Steve Atwater | University of Arkansas | DB |
| 2013 | Buddy Curry | University of NC | LB |
| 2013 | Steve Bartkowski | UC Berkeley | QB |
| 2012 | Martín Gramática | Kansas State | K |
| 2012 | Joey Harrington | University of Oregon | QB |
| 2011 | Buck Belue | University of Georgia | DB |
| 2011 | Tom Flick | University of Washington | QB |
| 2010 | Larry Csonka | Syracuse University | B |
| 2010 | Kellen Winslow | University of Missouri | TE |
| 2009 | Jerry Kramer | University of Idaho | G |
| 2009 | Charles aylor | Arizona State | B |
| 2009 | Brad Van Pelt | Michigan State | S |
| 2009 | Doug Williams | Grambling State | QB |
| 2008 | Dave Butz | Purdue | DT |
| 2008 | Carl Eller | University of Minnesota | T |
| 2008 | Forrest Gregg | Southern Methodist | T |
| 2008 | E.J. Holub | Texas Tech | C |
| 2008 | Leonard Moore | Penn State | B |
| 2008 | Larry Wilson | University of Utah | B |
| 2007 | Joe DeLamielleure | Michigan State | OT |
| 2007 | Gale Sayers | University of Kansas | B |
| 2007 | Paul Warfield | Ohio State | B |
| 2007 | Randy White | University of Maryland | DT |
| 2006 | Raymond Berry | Southern Methodist | E |
| 2006 | Joe Greene | University of North Texas | DT |
| 2006 | Mike Haynes | Arizona State | DB |
| 2006 | Bob Lilly | Texas Christian | T |
| 2005 | Pat Tillman | Arizona State | OLB |
| 2004 | Chris Burford | Stanford | E |
| 2004 | Mike Garrett | USC | B |
| 2004 | Gino Marchetti | University of San Francisco | G |
| 2004 | Tom Matte | Ohio State | B |
| 2004 | Ed White | UC Berkeley | DT |
| 2003 | Hugh McElhenny | University of Washington | B |
| 2003 | Craig Morton | UC Berkeley | QB |
| 2003 | Merlin Olsen | Utah State | T |
| 2003 | Alan C. Page | Notre Dame | DE |
| 2003 | Leslie Richter | UC Berkeley | G |
| 2003 | Gene Washington | Stanford | HB |
| 2002 | Dick Butkus | University of Illinois | C |
| 2002 | Gerald Ford | University of Michigan | C |
| 2002 | Edward LeBaron | University of the Pacific | B |
| 2002 | Ollie Matson | University of San Francisco | B |
| 2002 | Volney Peters | USC | T |
| 2002 | Richard (Dick) Stanfel | University of San Francisco | G |
