Bears-Texans kickoff NFL preseason tonight
Football is back!
Well, not really officially but the NFL kicks off its preseason tonight in Canton, Ohio, as the Chicago Bears face the Houston Texans in the Hall of Fame Game (8 p.m. ET on ESPN & ABC).
Don’t get too excited Bears’ fans. None of their starters will play, including No. 1 NFL Draft pick quarterback Caleb Williams.
The same is true for the Texans.
So tonight’s game will be a battle for players trying to make each team’s 53-man roster with plenty of TV air time dedicated to showing Williams, C.J. Stroud and others on the sidelines not in uniform.
One of the more intriguing things to watch for tonight is new kickoffs.
The most significant offseason rule change in years will begin being implemented this evening. The NFL spent two years studying the 97 percent return rate of XFL kickoffs and will have a tweaked version of that. The new rule is suppose to add more excitement to returns (last year the league had a 22 percent return rate). For more on the new return rule click on the following link – https://tinyurl.com/4n9xjbcv
The Bears and Texans will play an additional preseason game this year since they are playing in the Hall of Fame Game so they will each have four preseason tilts.
The Hall of Fame Game is played as a fundraiser for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The game is played beside the Hall of Fame.
Since 2011, the participating Hall of Fame Game teams are associated with at least one notable player in that year’s Hall of Fame class. This year, three Bears – Devin Hester, Julius Peppers and Steve McMichael – along with former Texan Andre Johnson will be enshrined in the stadium on Saturday.
Of course, McMichael was a starting defensive lineman on the Bears’ only Super Bowl championship team (1985 season) and Bears Nation is elated with his induction especially considering how long he has heroically fought ALS.
For the complete Bears’ 2024 schedule go to the following link – https://www.chicagobears.com/schedule/
For the complete Texans’ 2024 schedule go to the following link – https://www.houstontexans.com/schedule/
Thank you to sponsor – Fort Wayne Medical Oncology and Hematology. Cancer is something you never think about until it’s all you can think about. If that day comes, remember Fort Wayne Medical Oncology and Hematology. Visit their website today – http://www.fwmoh.com.
Special thanks to Plumlee Dentistry in Plymouth for helping us bring you Indiana High School Athletics like no one else and for being the proud sponsor of the Plumlee Radio Booth, our on-location broadcast site at games. Please give their website a visit by going to https://plumleedentistry.com/
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