Meet the 2023 Hula Bowl Hall of Fame Class!

The Hula Bowl is one of the most prestigious college football All-Star games ever. Since 1946, some of the greatest athletes to ever play in the NFL played their final collegiate football game in Hawaii at the Hula Bowl.

Last year, the Hula Bowl was played in Orlando, Florida at UCF’s Bounce House! Well, the game is coming back to Orlando this year and will be played on January 14, 2023 on CBS Sports.

Last year was a huge success, with 104 players out of 114 players getting at least a workout with a professional team. Eight players were drafted, and over 70 signed contracts with NFL teams.

The Hula Bowl is more than just a football game. The Hula Bowl is a jam-packed week of events including a National Championship Watch Party, the prestigious Hall of Fame Dinner, a Celebrity Golf Tournament, as well as the game!

Last year, Steve Spurrier, Lou Holtz, Marcus Allen and Tim Brown were inducted into the Hula Bowl Hall of Fame, and this year will be just as classy!

We would like to take a second to introduce the Hula Bowl Hall of Fame Class of 2023!

Bobby Bowden – The late great Bowden coached the Florida State Seminoles from 1976 to 2009 and is considered one of the greatest college football coaches of all time for his accomplishments with the Seminoles. The great Bobby Bowden finished his career with a 377-129-4 overall record, and two National Championship victories! Bowden married Ann Estock, his childhood sweetheart, in 1949 and the couple raised six children and 21 grandchildren. We are honored to induct Coach Bowden to the Hula Bowl Hall of Fame. Bowden coached the Hula Bowl three times in his career in 1987, 1991 and 1997.

Reggie White – The greatest pass rusher ever in the NFL will be inducted into the 2023 Hula Bowl Hall of Fame! The Late Great White played 15 years in the NFL after playing two years in the USFL! Before entering the Supplemental Draft, White would play in the 1984 Hula Bowl and dominate. White was selected in the 1984 Supplemental Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles and would go on to play for the Packer and Eagles before retiring. White was a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and 13-time Pro Bowler. He is second All-Time behind Bruce Smith with 198 sacks. He was nicknamed the “the Minister of Defense” for his amazing work off the field as an evangelist. White was inducted into he College Football Hall of Fame as well as the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and we welcome him into the Hula Bowl Hall of Fame.

Willie Roaf – played college football for Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, where he earned consensus All-American honors. He was a first-round pick in the 1993 NFL Draft, and played professionally for the New Orleans Saints and Kansas City Chiefs of the NFL. Roaf was a 1993 Hula Bowl Alumni, an 11-time Pro Bowl selection and nine-time All-Pro, he was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2012 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2014. Roaf started 189 games and finished all 189 games!

Steve Bartkowski – Bartkowski was a consensus All-American his senior season in 1974 at the University of California, Berkeley when he led the nation in passing. Bartkowksi would become a first round pick in 1975 after a terrific Hula Bowl performance. Bartkowski was chosen with the first overall pick in the 1975 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons (after the Falcons acquired the pick in a trade with the Colts). Bartkowski was named the NFL Rookie of the Year. Bartkowski would go on to play for the Rams as well before finishing his career with 156 touchdowns and 24,124 passing yards.

Darryl Talley – One of West Virginia Mountaineers greatest football players will be inducted into the 2023 Hula Bowl Hall of Fame! Talley played in four Super Bowls with the Buffalo Bills and had a tremendous career after dominating the 1983 Hula Bowl. Talley would end up being drafted by the Bills in the second round in 1983, and would go on to become a 2x First Team All-Pro and land on the Bills Wall of Fame. Talley played for the Falcons, and Vikings as well and finished his career with 1,252 tackles and 38.5 sacks.

Ron Simmons – You may remember him for his tremendous Wrestling career, but prior to becoming a professional wrestler, Simmons played defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL), Canadian Football League (CFL) and United States Football League (USFL) for four seasons during the 1980s. Simmons played in the 1981 Hula Bowl where he dominated offensive linemen. Simmons played professionally for the NFL’s Cleveland Browns, the CFL’s Ottawa Rough Riders and the USFL’s Tampa Bay Bandits. In 1979 Simmons finished ninth in the Heisman voting behind the winner, Charles White of USC. Simmons would go on to have a Legendary career in the WWE, becoming the first black world champion in professional wrestling history.

Brandon Marshall – WELCOME HOME! We are excited to announce Brandon Marshall the UCF great is coming home to be inducted into the 2023 Hula Bowl Hall of Fame! In 2006, Marshall would have an amazing Hula Bowl performance catching the eye of NFL teams. Marshall had a tremendous career at UCF hauling in 112 receptions, 1,674 receiving yards, and 13 touchdowns in his collegiate career. He would be drafted by Denver Broncos in the fourth round and later walk away a 6x Pro Bowler. Marshall played for seven NFL teams, and racked up 12,351 yards on 970 receptions scoring 83 touchdowns. Marshall is one of six players in NFL history to catch at least 100 passes in three consecutive seasons, and still has an NFL record with 21 receptions in one game.

The Hall of Fame Dinner Ceremony is set for Thursday, January 12, 2023 at the Additional Financial Arena in Orlando.

The Hula Bowl is also holding their 3rd Annual Hula Bowl Celebrity Golf Tournament on Friday January 13, 2023 at Alaqua Country Club. Tons of celebrities will be present including past Hula Bowl Hall of Fame members Tim Brown, Marcus Allen, Coaches Brian Billick and Mike Smith, and many other star athletes like Chris Chelios, Johnny Damon. You may even notice actors Kevin Sorbo and Rob Riggle!

If you would like to play in the Hula Bowl Golf Tournament you can sign up here!