Each year, the NFL celebrates its legends by enshrining new players into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In an iconic ceremony, the newly selected Hall of Famers are awarded a gold jacket, symbolising their elite status in the sport.
Although these shiny jackets are a sight to behold in themselves, fans can also expect some on-field action during the eagerly awaited Enshrinement Week. A key part of the festivities is the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game. Featuring 2 teams chosen for their connection to the players being honoured that year, this exhibition game is a perfect way to whet the appetite just before the NFL preseason kicks into gear.
In 2023, it has now been announced that the starring roles in the Hall of Fame Game will be filled by the New York Jets and the Cleveland Browns.
Among the Hall of Fame Class of 2023 are Darrelle Revis and Joe Klecko, both legends among the Jets fanbase. Revis’ dominance on the field is a much more recent memory – one of the best cornerbacks of all time, he retired in 2018, having spent 8 of his 11 pro seasons with the Jets. Revis was nominated to 7 Pro Bowls during his career, named to the 2010s All-Decade Team, and even claimed a Super Bowl victory in a brief spell with the New England Patriots. Klecko has endured a much longer wait for his gold jacket. Drafted by the Jets in 1977, the defensive lineman spent a decade in New York, winning NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1981. His number 73 jersey was retired in 2004, 16 years after chronic knee problems forced Klecko to hang up his boots. A 4-time Pro Bowl selection and part of the famous “New York Sack Exchange,” Klecko is a franchise favourite.
The Browns’ representative among the new Hall of Famers is Joe Thomas, a former offensive tackle who spent 11 years in Cleveland. Thomas was chosen as the third overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, and he repaid the Browns’ faith by making it to the Pro Bowl in each of his first 10 seasons. In 2017, he recorded his 10,000th consecutive snap, becoming the first player ever to accomplish the feat. This year marks 5 years since Thomas’ retirement, making him newly eligible for Hall of Fame nomination – and he was chosen for the honour immediately.
The Browns and the Jets will line up to celebrate their new inductees on 5 August 2023, with kick off scheduled for 20:00. Following annual tradition, the game will be hosted at the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.
Official tickets for the Hall of Fame Game go on sale this week, with prices starting at USD $90. Resellers already have tickets available from $131.
