Hall of Fame Game between Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers canceled over COVID-19
This year’s Pro Football Hall of Fame Game has been canceled.
The game was set to feature the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers on Aug. 6 to officially start the NFL’s preseason in Canton, Ohio. The Cowboys confirmed the game’s cancellation amid the coronavirus pandemic to the Star-Telegram.
The Cowboys and Steelers are expected to play in the 2021 game. The enshrinement ceremonies are being postponed to 2021 as well.
An official announcement is expected later today after the NFL owners meet on a conference call.
Both the Cowboys and Steelers were set to make their seventh appearance in the game. The Cowboys last played in it in 2017 when owner Jerry Jones was enshrined into the Hall of Fame.
Former Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson and safety Cliff Harris are among the members of the 2020 class.
Johnson posted on Twitter, “HOF postponed until 2021...so got to wait another year!”
This is the first NFL event to be canceled due to the pandemic. In late April, the league turned its annual draft into an online event.
With the game being canceled, the Cowboys are expected to delay the reporting date for training camp to a later date. They had been scheduled to report on July 22. Most teams are scheduled to report July 28. A Cowboys spokesperson said there is no update on the start of training camp as of Thursday morning.
Earlier this month, the Cowboys moved the site of training camp from Oxnard, Calif., to team headquarters at The Star in Frisco due to concerns related to the pandemic.
ESPN first reported the Hall of Fame Game was canceled and enshrinement ceremonies had been postponed.
This story was originally published June 25, 2020 at 7:44 AM.
