On Thursday night, the 2024 NFL Season will unofficially begin as the first game of the new season will be played, all be it an exhibition, when the Houston Texans and Chicago Bears play in the Hall of Fame Game. The Hall of Fame Game has been an annual tradition since 1962 with the contest serving as the beginning of a new football year as it is the first game. With it being a key feature in a weekend where the NFL inducts new members into the Hall of Fame, the exhibition has become a vital tradition and pivot point on the sports calendar and calendar year as a whole in America.
Hall Of Fame Game Is One Of the Best Traditions In Sports
What makes the game so special is the tradition that is just not a part of the contest, but the weekend and the venue all together. The exhibition has been held in Canton Ohio, which is the birthplace of the league which has been around for over 100 years and where the Hall of Fame has resided since its creation back in 1963. At the beginning of August every year, Hall of Fame members, media personnel, and thousands of NFL fans flock to the rural town to take part in another weekend where some of the best players of their generation are rightfully inducted to be forever memorialized.
The game itself holds no importance except for the players participating who are fighting for a roster spot for the teams partaking in the game, yet fans still love what the contest as a whole represents. When the first opening kickoff happens in the Hall of Fame game, NFL fans across the country rejoice and celebrate as it is a signal that the game they love is just mere weeks away from returning on the second Sunday in September. Although outcome and stats won’t matter, millions will watch the contest because it is live football between two NFL teams.
Timing of the exhibition matters also due to the long period of time where baseball is the only professional sport taking place on the sports calendar. From the late-June to August, Major League baseball is the only major sport being played for nearly six weeks. Although fans of teams that are still in playoff contention are still focused on the baseball season, fans of teams without playoff hopes shift their attention to the Hall of Fame Game as an escape. A prime example is for Chicago Cubs and White Sox fans, as both teams are under ,500 currently with the White Sox mired in a 17-game losing streak.
From an aesthetics standpoint, the game holds so much tradition because of its visual beauty. Playing the game in a stadium that features mostly grandstand seating, often gives off the vibe of watching a high school football game, which is a staple of America from August to November. Also, playing the game under the backdrop of a summer’s sunset and fading sun feels so warm and comforting for a sport that will later be played in cold and inclement weather for most of the season.
Fans of NFL teams love the Hall of Fame Game because it provides a fun weekend getaway to not just see a football exhibition, but to also potentially celebrate seeing their favorite players get inducted into the Hall of Fame. For some fans, due to the affordability and easier access to the contest, they are able to see their favorite team play in a unique and memorable situation, where they may not have the financial or logistical resources to see the team play at their home stadium.
The 2024 Hall of Fame Game Is Especially Meaningful For The 2024 Chicago Bears
The Hall of Fame Game on Thursday will be especially significant for the Chicago Bears because it is the charter franchise of the league. Not only is the team playing in the exhibition but will also see three past greats be inducted on Saturday, as kick returner Devin Hester, defensive end Julius Peppers, and defensive lineman Steve McMichael will all be enshrined. A massive crowd will be on hand and TV rating are expected to be high for the contest due to the Bears’ immense fanbase across the country, something that is constantly displayed during the regular season whenever the team is on the road.
Thursday’s Hall of Fame Game could have been a historically viewed one if head coach Matt Eberflus had made the decision to start rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. A ticket for the exhibition would have been extremely costly and all of Chicago would have tuned in to watch the 2024 first overall selection make his first live game debut. The game would also have been appointment television nationally because it would have marked the first time since 2002 that a quarterback taken first overall in the draft made his debut in the Hall of Fame Game.
From a playoff standpoint, participating in the Hall of Fame Game could be a strong good luck charm for the Bears as they have gone on to make the playoffs every year, except for one, whenever they have played in the exhibition. Chicago has partaken in the game in 1977,1990, 2005, and 2018, while going on to either win their division or clinch a playoff spot later that year. For the 2024 Bears, who have playoff aspirations, playing in the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday can be a very good omen.
The seventh month journey that begins in early August and will end in mid-February will begin again for NFL fans on Thursday night when the Hall of Fame Game kicks off. The contest in Canton will be the first of game to unofficially start the 2024 season with the finale being Super Bowl 59 on February 9th, 2025, in New Orleans. No one will remember the score of the contest between the Bears and Texans, some may remember a few plays, but all will acknowledge that football is finally back.
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