Are you ready for some football? The NFL has finally made its long-awaited return as the Gladiators of the Gridiron officially kick off the 2021 preseason with the NFL Hall of Fame Game. The exhibition game takes place adjacent to the grounds of the Pro Football Hall of Fame at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. As an annual tradition on Hall of Fame weekend, it has been home to the first game of the NFL preseason since 1962.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, the 2020 NFL Hall of Fame Game and preseason were canceled, so was the 2020 enshrinement ceremony. The 2020 and 2021 enshrinements will take place on Sunday, but the Hall of Fame Game will precede the weekend festivities.
This year’s game is between 2 of the NFL’s most storied franchises, the Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers. The franchises are tied with the most Hall of Fame Game appearances with 6 each. The Steelers have 33 Hall of Famers including 2020 inductees Bill Cowher, Troy Polamalu, Donnie Shell; and 2021 inductees Alan Flaneca, Kevin Greene, and Bill Nunn. The Cowboys aren’t too far behind with 29 members of the gold jacket club, including 2020 inductees Harold Carmichael, Cliff Harris, Jimmie Johnson; they will be joined by 2021 inductee WR Drew Pearson.
Fans will be back in attendance for this year’s game in Canton, Ohio, however, cord cutters can find out how to watch the 2021 NFL Hall of Fame Game below.
When to watch the 2021 NFL Hall of Fame Game
Kickoff for Cowboys vs. Steelers will be at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, August 5, 2021, on FOX.
How to watch the 2021 NFL Hall of Fame Game
AntennaWeb is a great tool you can use to see what FOX channel is available in your area with an antenna.
Locast: Viewers in over 30 markets served by Locast will also be able to watch on their local FOX for free with the service.
If you’re subscribed to a live TV streaming service, check out the chart below that has all the information you need to find out how to stream the game live on FOX.
| Channel | AT&T TV (*Starts at $69.99/mo.) | Fubo TV (*Starts at $64.99/mo.) | Hulu + Live TV (*Starts $64.99/mo.) | Sling TV (*Starts at $35/mo.) | Youtube TV (*Starts at $64.99/mo.) | Vidgo (*Starts at $55/mo.) |
| FOX* | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
*Pricing, network availability, and blackout restrictions may vary based on plan and subscriber’s location.
Predictions
The Steelers are going to have to figure out if Dwayne Haskins is their QB of the future and the preseason will be able to give them a glimpse of what he can do. Things did not work out for the young QB in Washington but from all accounts, he has received praise from his play and may be in the running as Big Ben’s backup. With the clock ticking on the Steelers veteran QB1, expect Haskins to prove himself worthy against the Cowboys defense.
Since this is the first preseason game, Cowboys QB Dak Prescott will not play in the Hall of Fame Game due to a recent shoulder strain. The QB had a devasting and gruesome leg injury last season and hasn’t played a single minute since. If Prescott continues to be injury-prone, the Cowboys may want to invest in a veteran backup because their current options are Garrett Gilbert, Ben DiNucci, and Cooper Rush. This could be the moment one of the three has been waiting for to take over out of nowhere like a former legendary Cowboys QB.