The Hall of Fame Game Tells Us that Football is Back

Every year, except last year, of course, we mark the start of the football season with the Hall of Fame Game. Football is Back!

While training camp continues for every team in the league, and the start of the regular season is still weeks away, we know we’re on the right path when the game in Canton, Ohio takes place each year.

Two Classic Names Collided in a Classic Game

The Hall of Fame Game is only symbolically important. If you watched the game this year you would quickly realize that is the case. While we saw the Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Dallas Cowboys in uniform, most of the players in the game are not the ones who will suit up when the season begins, it feels good to see these teams on the field. Whether you tuned in or you don’t like to watch pre-season football, you know that regular-season games are right around the corner.

A Class Honored and a Class Skipped

Football is back. Another way that we know this sport is about to resume is with the gold jacket ceremonies that signify the on-field accomplishments of some of the best players to put on an NFL uniform. The 2021 inductees were significant in a way that no other class was before them.

The 2020 class was skipped due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This would have been the 100th birthday of the NFL and 20 members would have been inducted. Instead of being put in the hall last year, these 20 men had to wait one more year and be part of the 2021 class. As a result, there were 28 new members added to the Hall of Fame. This is the largest class since the opening of the hall.

Who are the 2020 and 2021 Inductees into the Hall of Fame?

The 2021 class featured eight people while the 2020 class had twenty, giving us a total of 28. You likely know some of the names on the list but maybe not all of them. The latest inductees are:

2021 Class

• Peyton Manning – Quarterback – Broncos, Colts
• Calvin Johnson – Wide Receiver – Lions
• Charles Woodson – Safety, Raiders, Packers
• John Lynch – Safety, Buccaneers, Broncos
• Alan Faneca – Guard – Steelers, Jets, Cardinals
• Dew Pearson – Wide Receiver – Cowboys
• Tom Flores – Coach – Raiders, Seahawks
• Bill Nunn – Scout – Steelers

2020 Class

• Steve Atwater – Safety – Broncos, Jets
• Isaac Bruce – Wide Receiver – Rams, 49ers
• Harold Carmichael – Wide Receiver- Eagles, Cowboys
• Jim Covert – Offensive Tackle – Bears
• Bobby Dillon – Defensive Back – Packers
• Cliff Harris – Safety – Cowboys
• Winston Hill – Offensive Tackle – Jets, Rams
• Steve Hutchinson – Guard – Seahawks, Vikings, Titans
• Edgerrin James – Running Back – Colts, Cardinals, Seahawks
• Alex Karras – Defensive Tackle – Lions
• Troy Polamalu – Safety – Steelers
• Donnie Shell – Defensive Back – Steelers
• Duke Slater – Tackle – Badgers, Independents, Cardinals
• Mark Speedie – End – Browns
• Ed Sprinkle – End – Bears
• Bill Cowher – Coach -Steelers
• Jimmy Johnson – Coach – Cowboys, Dolphins
• George Young – General Manager – Giants
• Paul Tagliabue – NFL Commissioner
• Steve Sabol – Founder of NFL Films

Getting to the Game

Football is back. The Hall of Fame Game took place and we didn’t see the same cast of characters we expect to see when the season begins, but that didn’t cause any dip in the excitement. Neither of the starting quarterbacks took the field. Dak Prescott has been dealing with throwing shoulder soreness and Ben Roethlisberger has played so many years it wouldn’t benefit him or the team in any way.

What we did see was some of the rookies play along with guys who are trying to make the team and solidify their positions. Even though most of the attention is on the quarterback in every game, this was a good game for players to knock the rust off, get out there and hit each other, and work on their techniques verse another opponent instead of their teammates.

Get Excited, Football is Back

Even though the Hall of Fame Game is rather insignificant each year, (the Steelers won 16-3, and guess what, it doesn’t count) it does give us football and lets us know that this sport is on its way to the regular season. Coaches have to trim down their rosters, teams have to get through the preseason with as few injuries as possible, and then we can start the regular season.

With 28 new members of the Hall of Fame and the initial pre-season game out of the way, we can finally say with confidence and boisterousness; “Football is Back!”