Rutgers R.J. Dill (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) Will Play in the 88th East-West Shrine Game
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (December 14, 2012) – Rutgers senior offensive tackle R.J. Dill (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) has accepted an invitation to play in the 88th East-West Shrine Game. The game will be played Saturday, January 19 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. with live television coverage on NFL Network.
Dill is the 17th Scarlet Knight to play in the post-season all-star game. Dill joins fellow seniors D.C. Jefferson (Winter Haven, Fla.) and Scott Vallone (Central Islip, N.Y.) as Shrine Game participants this season. Last year, current Tampa Bay Buccaneer offensive lineman Desmond Wynn played in the game.
A CBSSports.com All-BIG EAST Team selection on the offensive line, Dill started every game of Rutgers’ 9-3 regular season at right tackle. Dill’s impressive start streak has run 42 consecutive games since playing his first three seasons at Maryland. Dill transferred to Rutgers and enrolled in graduate classes after he graduated from Maryland in December 2011 with a degree in Economics. The 6-7, 310-pounder has appeared in 49 career games.
For the past 87 years, the East-West Shrine Game has proven to be the launching pad for numerous NFL players. Tom Brady, John Elway, Eddie George, Greg Jennings, Brett Favre and numerous other future stars all showcased their talents in this game. A total of 69 former East-West Shrine Game players are in the NFL Hall of Fame.
While the teams are divided by East and West, the players come together for the beneficiary of the event, Shriners Hospitals for Children, an international pediatric specialty health care system.
Those who would like to support Dill, Jefferson and Vallone and the East-West Shrine Game can do the following:
- Attend the East-West Shrine Game in St. Petersburg January 19
- Tune in to NFL Network on Jan. 19 at 4 p.m. to watch the live broadcast
- Join the free East-West Shrine Game Fan Club online at www.shrinegame.com for player and coach updates, game news, discounts and more
For more information about the East-West Shrine Game, please visit www.shrinegame.com.