NFL Hall of Fame Game Cancellation Is Nothing New

Some people were really upset when the NFL announced the cancellation of the Hall of Fame Game in Canton. Thing is it’s not a new occurrence.

Fans were anxious to see their first real football in months and instead were treated to one of the most unusual and laughable situations in recent memory. Apparently the upkeep of the field prior to the matchup between the Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts weren’t meeting typical league standards. Heat from the weather had caused paint at midfield and in the end zones to congeal and rubberize. That created a dangerous chance of players slipping, which as history shows can lead to significant injury.

There was a feeling the problems could be managed, but both teams grew concerned about the risk and so the NFL decided to err on the side of caution by cancelling the event. Though fans were given full refunds for the mishap, it undoubtedly was a black eye for the league. Not only that, it continues a trend for the Hall of Fame game dating back years. Turns out the game has such little meaning that its been cancelled multiple times.

Back in 2011 a tilt between the Bears and Rams was called off due to the ongoing lockout between the owners and players. On top of that it was also ended before the game was even over in 2003 and 1980 due to lightning. Throw in the fact that almost none of the primary starters from either team see even a series or two of action and it’s becoming difficult to justify the existence of this game.

Sure it can be viewed as a fun way get football going again after such a long layoff but it does represent a fifth meaningless game for those two teams involved, leading to potential complications with injury. Besides, it’s obvious from this latest incident that not even the league cares enough about it to make sure the field is properly prepared for the action. Maybe it’s time to send this glorified scrimmage into retirement.