Hall of Fame Game Canceled Due to Field Conditions
The long anticipated, yet controversial, Hall of Fame game will not be held Sunday due to field conditions.
A preseason game has historically been played the day after the Hall of Fame induction in Canton, Ohio. It’s meant to be the first taste of football fans have had since February, but it appears they will have to wait due to the field conditions at Tom Benson Stadium.
Fans will receive a refund, and the Hall of Fame will be bringing in singer Lee Greenwood tonight for an impromptu concert.
Bengals owner Tom Benson donated $11 million last year to have the stadium renovated.
The stadium was used for a concert on Friday night and became muddy overnight. After covering up the field for the Hall of Fame induction, crews found the field was hard. Additionally, the wrong paint was used.
Teams have been told tonight's Hall-of-Fame game has been cancelled. Now awaiting official announcement.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 7, 2016
Players and coaches from both the Green Bay Packers and the Indianapolis Colts found that the turf was “as hard as concrete” and the field paint was sticking and was equivocal to tar.
Parts of Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio are as hard as concrete in opinion of multiple players. Unsafe, they say.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 7, 2016
The paint that was applied today on middle of field, and in endzones, has congealed; would be like playing on tar.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 7, 2016
Game now doubtful.
You can see the clumps of congealed paint at midfield logo of HOF stadium field. Rock hard. pic.twitter.com/6mlA0Smffu
— Jenny Vrentas (@JennyVrentas) August 8, 2016
Sundays game was set to be played by the Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts, with a sold-out crowd anxious to see the Packers a day after Brett Favre was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
The HOF, which is not run by the NFL, will lose approximately $4 million from not having the game played.
More from NFL Mocks
- 2024 NFL Mock Draft Journal: Cardinals, Falcons tank for USC QB Caleb Williams
- Patriots News & Rumors: Ezekiel Elliott talks fun in Foxboro; Mills to Packers?
- Fantasy Football: 5 reasons Colts QB Anthony Richardson can be a top-end option
- Packers’ Lukas Van Ness will make a Lambeau leap into the NFL in 2023
- 2024 NFL Draft: Hunter Haas’ Top 50 Big Board
Players are typically unhappy with playing in the Hall of Fame game because it adds another opportunity for them to suffer a major injury in a meaningless game.
Last year Steelers kicker Shaun Suisham suffered a career-ending knee injury in the game.
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers pleaded for his team not to be selected, but he knew that Favre going into the Hall of Fame would likely mean they’d be selected.
“We hope we don’t get it,” Rodgers said, in an interview with FoxSports.com. “But we know it’s going to be tough because No. 4 is going to be going in.”
The Colts were selected due to having Super Bowl winning coach Tony Dungy and wide receiver Marvin Harrison being inducted along with Favre and several other contributors to the game.