Football is back.
For the first time in over five months, the lights will shine on the gridiron, as the NFL Hall of Fame Game kicks off the start of the preseason and this year’s Hall of Fame festivities.
The Cowboys and Steelers will battle Thursday night at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.
The game – which starts at 8 p.m. – is the seventh appearance by each club in the annual preseason classic, tied for the most in the NFL. Both teams are 3-3.
This is the first Hall of Fame Game being played since Aug. 1, 2019 – the game was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic – when the Broncos defeated the Falcons 14-10.
Broncos head coach Vic Fangio coached his team to victory hours after a trip to the hospital due to a kidney stone. Rookie wide receiver Juwann Winfree caught the game-winning 15-yard touchdown pass from rookie quarterback Brett Rypien with 1:26 remaining in the game.
Two years later, players will hit the field in Canton once again, with jobs on the line. Here’s all you need to know for Thursday’s big game:
What is the NFL Hall of Fame Game?
The Hall of Fame Game is an annual festivity that begins the Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement festivities. The preseason game features two NFL teams – this year, the Cowboys and Steelers will face off – and also kicks off a new NFL schedule.
How to watch
The game will be broadcasted nationally on FOX starting at 8 p.m.
Joe Buck (play-by-play), Troy Aikman (color commentary) and Erin Andrews (sideline reporter) are on the call.
You can livestream the game if you subscribe to fuboTV. First-time subscribers can sample fuboTV by signing up for a seven-day free trial. Local restrictions apply.
What to watch for
The Steelers and Cowboys both struggled last season. After starting the 2020 season with an NFL-best 11-game win-streak, Mike Tomlin’s Steelers went 1-4 over their final five games of the regular season and lost to the Browns in the AFC Wild Card. The Cowboys faltered after Dak Prescott went down with a season-ending ankle injury in Week 5 and went 6-10 in Mike McCarthy’s first year as head coach.
Thursday night, both coaches will use the game action to evaluate their teams and make crucial roster decisions.
Backup quarterbacks will take the stage in Canton. The Steelers have Mason Rudolph, Dwyane Haskins and Joshua Dobbs behind Ben Roethlisberger and the Cowboys have Cooper Rush, Garrett Gilbert and Ben DiNucci vying for a spot behind of Dak Prescott.
In the backfield, Najee Harris is one of the most talented players selected in the 2021 NFL Draft and will likely suit up Thursday for Tomlin.
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“He’s a rookie, he needs the process of game preparation, and then ultimately play,” Tomlin said. “We’ve got four opportunities for him to do that, and we’re going to make sure he participates in all four of those processes.”
The 24th overall selection won the College Football Playoff National Championship with Alabama last year, finishing his college career leading the program in rushing (3,843 yards) and touchdown (57).
McCarthy, on the other hand, will be keeping an eye on his wide receiver battle.
Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup form perhaps the best trio of top-three receivers in football, but behind them, there is no clear fourth option. Cedrick Wilson, Noah Brown and rookie Simi Fehoko will be fighting for the spot Thursday night.
List of Pro Football Hall of Fame 2021 inductees
The 2021 Pro Football Hall of Fame is much smaller than the 2020 class that featured Steelers’ star safety Troy Polamalu.
This year’s inductees are Peyton Manning, Charles Woodson, Calvin Johnson, Drew Pearson, Alan Faneca, Bill Nunn, John Lynch and Tom Flores.