Every year, the NFL season kicks off with the Hall of Fame Game at Tom Benson Stadium in Canton, Ohio. When did this tradition start, and what is the history behind the game?
What Is the NFL Hall of Fame Game?
This exhibition contest serves as the NFL’s preseason opener, but it’s also part of the ceremonial festivities involving the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The Hall of Fame Game is held on the same weekend as the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s induction ceremony, and the inductees in that year’s class are honored before the contest.
What Is the Hall of Fame Game’s History?
The first Hall of Fame Game was played in 1962. The St. Louis Cardinals and New York Giants faced off, and the game ended in a 21-21 tie.
In 1970, the contest was moved to August to help kick off the NFL season. From 1971 to 2010, it typically pitted an AFC team against an NFC squad.
Starting in 2011, the NFL began selecting two franchises with a notable Hall of Fame inductee in that year’s class. Such is the case this year, as Houston Texans legend Andre Johnson and Chicago Bears great Devin Hester will be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Is the Hall of Fame Game Played Every Year?
Since 1962, the Hall of Fame Game has only been canceled four times:
- 1966: No contest due to the AFL and NFL merger.
- 2011: The game was canceled due to the league’s lockout.
- 2016: Subpar field conditions from a severe storm system wiped out the game, as Canton received torrential rainfall and wind gusts up to 70 miles per hour.
- 2020: COVID-19 forced the league to cancel the game and the preseason as a whole.
This year’s contest will be the 58th Hall of Fame Game in league history.
Which Team Has Played in the Most Hall of Fame Games?
The Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers have played in this contest seven times. Both teams were also supposed to be in the 2020 matchup before it was canned due to the pandemic.
When the Bears take the field this year, it will also be their seventh appearance in the Hall of Fame Game.
The Steelers are the only team that has played in the Hall of Fame Game in back-to-back seasons (1963 and 1964).
Which Team Has Won the Most Hall of Fame Games?
The Steelers, Bears, and Las Vegas Raiders have each won four Hall of Fame Games
The Steelers won the contest in 1963, 1983, 2007, and 2021 (which was a make-up for the canceled 2020 contest against the Cowboys).
The Bears’ four victories in the Canton contest came in 1968, 1977, 1990, and 2005. With a win over the Texans in this year’s Hall of Fame Game, Chicago will be able to pull ahead of the Steelers and Raiders.
The Raiders’ four wins came in 1979, 1993, 2006 and 2022.
All-Time Hall of Fame Game Results
Here are the results of every Hall of Fame Game since its inception.
- New York Giants 21-21 St. Louis Cardinals | 1962
- Pittsburgh Steelers 16-7 Cleveland Browns | 1963
- Baltimore Colts 48-17 Pittsburgh Steelers | 1964
- Washington 21-21 Detroit Lions | 1965
- Philadelphia Eagles 28-13 Cleveland Browns | 1967
- Chicago Bears 30-24 Dallas Cowboys | 1968
- Green Bay Packers 38-24 Atlanta Falcons | 1969
- New Orleans Saints 14-13 Minnesota Vikings | 1970
- Los Angeles Rams 17-6 Houston Oilers | 1971
- Kansas City Chiefs 23-17 New York Giants | 1972
- San Francisco 49ers 20-7 New England Patriots | 1973
- St. Louis Cardinals 21-13 Buffalo Bills | 1974
- Washington 17-9 Cincinnati Bengals | 1975
- Denver Broncos 10-7 Detroit Lions | 1976
- Chicago Bears 20-6 New York Jets | 1977
- Philadelphia Eagles 17-3 Miami Dolphins | 1978
- Oakland Raiders 20-13 Atlanta Falcons | 1979
- San Diego Chargers 0-0 Green Bay Packers | 1980
The game was called in the fourth quarter due to severe lightning. - Cleveland Browns 24-10 Atlanta Falcons | 1981
- Minnesota Vikings 30-14 Baltimore Colts | 1982
- Pittsburgh Steelers 27-14 New Orleans Saints | 1983
- Seattle Seahawks 38-0 Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1984
- New York Giants 21-20 Houston Oilers | 1985
- New England Patriots 21-16 St. Louis Cardinals | 1986
- San Francisco 49ers 20-7 Kansas City Chiefs | 1987
- Cincinnati Bengals 14-7 Los Angeles Rams | 1988
- Washington 31-6 Buffalo Bills | 1989
- Chicago Bears 13-0 Cleveland Browns | 1990
- Detroit Lions 14-3 Denver Broncos | 1991
- New York Jets 41-14 Philadelphia Eagles | 1992
- Los Angeles Raiders 19-3 Green Bay Packers | 1993
- Atlanta Falcons 21-17 San Diego Chargers | 1994
- Carolina Panthers 20-14 Jacksonville Jaguars | 1995
- Indianapolis Colts 10-3 New Orleans Saints | 1996
- Minnesota Vikings 28-26 Seattle Seahawks | 1997
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30-6 Pittsburgh Steelers | 1998
- Cleveland Browns 20-17 Dallas Cowboys | 1999
- New England Patriots 20-0 San Francisco 49ers | 2000
- St. Louis Rams 17-10 Miami Dolphins | 2001
- New York Giants 34-17 Houston Texans | 2002
- Kansas City Chiefs 9-0 Green Bay Packers | 2003
The game was called in the third quarter due to severe lightning. - Washington 20-17 Denver Broncos | 2004
- Chicago Bears 27-24 Miami Dolphins | 2005
- Oakland Raiders 16-10 Philadelphia Eagles | 2006
- Pittsburgh Steelers 20-7 New Orleans Saints | 2007
- Washington 30-16 Indianapolis Colts | 2008
- Tennessee Titans 21-18 Buffalo Bills | 2009
- Dallas Cowboys 16-7 Cincinnati Bengals | 2010
- The 2011 Hall of Fame Game was canceled due to the NFL lockout.
- New Orleans Saints 17-10 Arizona Cardinals | 2012
- Dallas Cowboys 24-20 Miami Dolphins | 2013
- New York Giants 17-13 Buffalo Bills | 2014
- Minnesota Vikings 14-3 Pittsburgh Steelers | 2015
- The 2016 Hall of Fame Game was canceled due to poor field conditions.
- Dallas Cowboys 20-18 Arizona Cardinals | 2017
- Baltimore Ravens 17-16 Chicago Bears | 2018
- Denver Broncos 14-10 Atlanta Falcons | 2019
- The 2020 Hall of Fame Game was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Pittsburgh Steelers 16-3 Dallas Cowboys | 2021
- Las Vegas Raiders 27-11 Jacksonville Jaguars | 2022
- Cleveland Browns 21-16 New York Jets