4 Things You Didn't Know About the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game

Well, you did it, America. An eight-week appetizer of the Alliance of American Football aside, you went a whopping six months without football.

That streak ends tonight, as preseason action commences with the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Game. Of course, many, if not all, starters for the participating Atlanta Falcons and Denver Broncos will sit this one out, but, as the AAF, the Pro Bowl, and Thursday Night Football have proved time and time again, Americans love their pigskin.

In celebration of tonight’s game, we’ve assembled an assortment of fun facts about the celebration in Canton…

The Redskins are undefeated in Hall of Fame games

Not much has gone right for the Washington Redskins over the past several decades. Seemingly embroiled in endless controversy, the team hasn’t won a playoff game since 2005. That’s a streak that probably won’t end any time soon.

A welcome sense of relief has come through the Hall of Fame Game. The Redskins have won each of their five appearances, the last coming in 2008 over Indianapolis. Sure, preseason standings are as meaningless as a fourth-quarter touchdown in a 56-7 game, but, as Monty Python advised us…always look on the bright side of life.

The AFC East pair of the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins have not been so lucky. Each is 0-4, similar to their combined yearly ledgers against New England in most years.

You just might see a future Hall-of-Famer take his first steps

The box scores of Hall of Fame Games may quickly be forgotten. But, in some cases, future Canton residents may take their first NFL steps. It’s the football equivalent of seeing The Beatles perform at The Cavern Club.

For example, the 1996 edition saw 2014 inductee Marvin Harrison take an NFL field for the first time. Harrison would have two catches in his Indianapolis Colts’ 10-3 victory over New Orleans. More recently, Stefon Diggs gave us a sign of what was to come when he took back a punt 62 yards to set up a score in a Minnesota Vikings triumph in 2015. Many starters will understandably sit out tonight’s exhibition, but eyes will likely land on Denver’s Drew Lock, the latest chosen thrower to vie for the Peyton Manning throne. This isn’t to say Diggs and Lock will someday reside in Canton, but you’ll see some real talent.

Entire teams have likewise unofficially begun their NFL rides on the field. 1995’s newcomers from Carolina and Jacksonville first squared off in Canton. The rebooted Cleveland Browns cruelly later teased their fans with a win over Dallas in 1999.

It’s been canceled/shut down four times

Remember when you were a kid and everyone had to go inside once the lightning and thunder came and then when it cleared up, everyone argued what the score was? That’s pretty much how the NFL has handled weather and disputes in Canton.

Two games, 1980 and 2003, were shut down in session due to thunder and lightning. Ironically, each of those games spared Green Bay Packers fans from the monotony of a shutout. Their 1980 edition was scoreless in the third quarter against the then-San Diego Chargers, and they trailed 9-0 to Kansas City 23 years later. The Packers would also be spared an extra preseason game in 2016, when a poorly managed situation with field paint canceled their game against Indianapolis minutes before kickoff. This…can’t bode well for Aaron Rodgers’ Hall of Fame case? (kidding, obviously).

The other lost session of preseason glory came in 2011, when the lockout was prevented but it leaked into training camp. The game was cancelled, as the Chicago Bears and St. Louis Rams felt they had inadequate time to prepare.

You had (more than) one job

To the casual football fan, Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium’s legacy begins and ends with the Hall of Fame Game. That’s why some fans were somewhat surprised when the eponymous owner of the Saints donated $10 million to renovate the facility. The reality is that the stadium has made a name for itself as an Ohio landmark.

The stadium has played host to some of the most memorable showdowns in Ohio history. Five different schools in the area have called it home at some point. It will host the NCAA’s Division III championship game in 2020 and 2021. Not bad for a preseason performer….