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The Pro Football Hall of Fame Game kicks off on Thursday, Aug. 3, at 5 p.m. PST. The New York Jets and the Cleveland Browns face off in the first preseason action of the year, signifying the start of the league's 104th season.
So what exactly is the Hall of Fame Game? Who has played in it before? And how did the game start? We have answers to all those questions and more about the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, the annual first preseason game of the year.
What is the Hall of Fame Game?
The Hall of Fame Game is an annual tradition in the NFL and an unofficial marking of the new football year. Every season, the first preseason game is dubbed the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game. The exhibition game always takes place during Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement week and is a part of the ceremonies to honor each year's Hall of Fame Class.
History of the Hall of Fame Game
The Pro Football Hall of Fame Game was established in 1962 when the creation of the Pro Football Hall of Fame was first in the works. The New York Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals played in a game that ended with a 21-21 tie that year. 1963 marked the first Hall of Fame class, which included Jim Thorpe, Ernie Nevers, Bronko Nagurski, Don Hutson, Cal Hubbard, Pete Henry, Red Grange, Dutch Clark, Johnny Blood, Sammy Baugh, and Mel Hein. The Hall of Fame building was completed in 1963 for the first-ever induction class.
The Hall of Fame Village is in Canton, Ohio, where the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium is located, the venue for the game and ceremonies.
The game has been played in all but four seasons since the inaugural game between the Giants and Cardinals. There was no contest in 1966 because of complications from the AFL and NFL merger, and in 2011 the game was canceled because of the NFL lockout. The game was canceled in 2016 because of poor field conditions. Certain spots of the new turf were deemed very slick and cement-like because of the paint used to mark the logos and end zones. Concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the 2020 game.
In the early days of the game, the battles were often played at the end of the preseason. 1970 was the year the game got moved to the beginning of the preseason, and it has stayed that way ever since. The Pro Football Hall of Fame Game was often played as early as late July, but since 2001 (when the league moved the start of the regular season to after Labor Day), the game has always been played in August.
All 32 franchises have appeared in the game at least once. The Houston Texans, Carolina Panthers, and Baltimore Ravens have only played in the game one time. On the other side of the spectrum, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys both have a league-leading seven appearances in the game. The Washington Commanders have the most wins in the game, with five.
The Detroit Lions have the longest streak without playing in the game, 31 seasons, as the franchise hasn't partaken in the event since 1991. The Jets are second on that list at 30 straight seasons without playing, but that streak will end when they play in the game for the third time ever on Thursday. The Browns will be making their sixth appearance.
Last season the Las Vegas Raiders stomped on the Jacksonville Jaguars, 27-11.
Selection process
The participants for the Hall of Fame Game are one of the earliest decisions made in the NFL's calendar. The announcement comes around the same time as the decision for the Hall of Fame inductees, which happens during Super Bowl week. When there is a prominent Hall of Fame inductee, the team he was associated with is often selected to play in the game. Darrelle Revis and Klecko are former Jets stars, and Joe Thomas is a legendary Brown. DeMarcus Ware, Don Coryell, Zach Thomas, Rondé Barber, Ken Riley, and Chuck Howley will also be inducted into the Hall of Fame in the class of 2023.
