Football fans finally have a game to look forward to. A preseason game, at least.
The Cleveland Browns and New York Jets will meet in the 2023 Hall of Fame Game to kick off the NFL preseason at 8 p.m. ET Thursday, August 3, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.
While the game serves as an opportunity to honor this year's group of Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees, the main draw for many of the fans may be seeing quarterback Aaron Rodgers on the field as a Jet for the first time. Whether he will be in uniform in Canton, or at all this preseason, is a different story.
Here's everything you need to know before kickoff.
Will Rodgers make his Jets debut?
Jets fans have been anxiously awaiting an opportunity to see Rodgers on the field since New York and the Green Bay Packers agreed to a trade for the four-time MVP this offseason.
They probably will have to wait a little longer. Jets head coach Robert Saleh said during a press conference last week that it is unlikely many starters will see the field in the first of the team's four preseason games.
"It's a good thing for the young guys because they're going to get an extra look in a game setting," Saleh said. "Especially in the Hall of Fame game where we're probably not going to play any of our starters and let all those young guys roll. It'll be a really good opportunity for them."
Rodgers has not played in the preseason since 2018. He and the Packers were scheduled to compete in the 2016 Hall of Fame Game against the Indianapolis Colts, but the game was canceled because of poor field conditions.
What TV channel is game on?
This year's Hall of Fame Game will be televised nationally by NBC.
The game will also be streamed on fuboTV. Fans can start a seven-day free trial to access the game if they do not already have the streamer.
2023 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class
The NFL first held a Hall of Fame game in 1962. One is now held yearly as part of the NFL's Enshrinement Week for each new class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This is the third time the Jets have appeared in the game, while the Browns are making their sixth appearance.
Teams are scheduled for the game based on which players or contributors are being honored as part of the year's Hall of Fame Class. Former Browns left tackle Joe Thomas, as well as former Jets defensive lineman Joe Klecko and cornerback Darrelle Revis, are among this year's nine inductees.
Here is the full 2023 Hall of Fame class:
- Ronde Barber, cornerback, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Don Coryell, head coach, St. Louis Cardinals; San Diego Chargers
- Chuck Howley, linebacker, Chicago Bears; Dallas Cowboys
- Joe Klecko, defensive lineman, New York Jets; Indianapolis Colts
- Darrelle Revis, cornerback, New York Jets; Tampa Bay Buccaneers; New England Patriots; Kansas City Chiefs
- Ken Riley, cornerback, Cincinnati Bengals
- Joe Thomas, left tackle, Cleveland Browns
- Zach Thomas, linebacker, Miami Dolphins; Dallas Cowboys
- DeMarcus Ware, linebacker, Dallas Cowboys; Denver Broncos
These nine will be enshrined during a ceremony on August 5.
When do preseason, regular season start?
The other 30 NFL teams will play their first preseason games between August 10 and 13. The final week of the preseason wraps up on August 27.
The opening game of the 2023 regular season will see the Detroit Lions visit the reigning Super Bowl-champion Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday, September 7.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Robert Read is a Sports Reporter at Newsweek based in Florida. He previously spent four years working at The Daily ... Read more
