Stanford Offensive Star to Participate in 2026 Senior Bowl

Sam Roush will get a chance to showcase himself in front of NFL coaches

Sep 13, 2025; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal running back Micah Ford (left) gestures with tight end Sam Roush (86) after carrying the ball for a first down against the Boston College Eagles during the fourth quarter at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Is Stanford football on the come up? Despite finishing the 2025 season at 4-8 and missing a bowl berth for the eighth consecutive year, the Cardinal showed a lot of promise in the first season under the leadership of general manager Andrew Luck.

Highlighted by their first win over Cal since 2020, the Cardinal enter the offseason with a lot of momentum heading into year one under new head coach Tavita Pritchard.

Earlier this offseason, the Cardinal received some good news regarding a player set to depart this offseason. Capping off a dominant college career with 49 catches for 545 yards and two touchdowns as a senior this season, tight end Sam Roush was pivotal for Stanford's offense, and has generated some NFL draft buzz.

Now, Roush will get the chance to showcase his talents in front of NFL coaching staffs in the 2026 Senior Bowl, which he has been invited to participate in.

A postseason college all-star game compiling the best college football players who have completed their eligibility, the Senior Bowl gives those players the chance to play in a full 60-minute football game while being coached by NFL coaching staffs, giving them their first taste of what it could be like playing in the NFL.

Typically played in late January or early February, near the final weeks of the NFL season, this year's contest will take place on January 31 in Mobile, Alabama.

The game itself has no implications and is purely an exhibition, but for the participants, this game means everything. A good showing will not only help Roush get noticed, but he will see himself climb up draft boards and become a highly touted prospect. But a bad game could see his stock fall.

Roush started his final season on The Farm slowly, catching only four passes for eight yards combined in Stanford's first two games. But as the season evolved and the offense found a rhythm, Roush became a focal point.

His best game of the season came against Pittsburgh where despite the loss, he caught eight passes for 104 yards. In total, Roush leaves Stanford with 110 catches for 1,201 yards and four touchdowns.

But with the chance to play in front of NFL coaches, Roush will look to play the game of his life and prove why he belongs in the league. A very good pass catcher as he has exhibited, Roush is also an elite blocker who can add extra force to any offensive line, which can ultimately help any team looking to enhance their run game.

The Senior Bowl, while headed by NFL coaches, is often times led by assistant coaches looking to become head coaches down the line. In the 2025 game, current New York Giants interim head coach/offensive coordinator Mike Kafka coached one team while current Cleveland Browns special teams coordinator/assistant head coach Ray Ventrone coached the other team.

Sponsered by Panini this season, this year's Senior Bowl will be the first one since 2013 to not be sponsored by Reese's. Since 1996, the Senior Bowl has had an official name for sponsorship reasons, starting with Delchamps from 1996-01 followed by Food World from 2002-06.

Before Reese's became the official sponsor of the game starting in 2014, Under Armour held the rights from 2007 until 2011 followed by Nike in 2012 and '13. Panini will take over as the bowl's new title sponsor after entering a multi-year agreement in 2020 to produce trading cards for the Senior Bowl players.