Football is finally back. Well, sort of. If you turned on the NFL Hall of Fame Game 2024 expecting to see Caleb Williams lighting up the scoreboard or C.J. Stroud picking up right where he left off in his historic rookie season, you were probably pretty disappointed. Most people tune into the preseason opener hoping for a glimpse of the future, but what we actually got in Canton was a wet, wild, and weirdly entertaining display of depth chart battles and experimental rules.
Honest truth? The starters didn't even put on their helmets. Williams and Stroud spent the evening in street clothes on the sidelines. But that doesn’t mean the game was a dud. Between a weather-induced ending and the birth of a new era for special teams, there was actually a lot to chew on.
The Storm That Ended Everything Early
You can't talk about the NFL Hall of Fame Game 2024 without talking about the lightning. It’s the third time in history this specific game has been called off before the final whistle. The Chicago Bears walked away with a 21-17 victory over the Houston Texans, but the "win" comes with a massive asterisk because it ended with 3:31 left in the third quarter.
When the rain started pelting Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, it wasn't just a drizzle. It was a full-on Midwestern atmospheric tantrum. Lightning flashes forced officials to clear the field, and after about a 35-minute delay, the NFL and the Hall of Fame decided to pull the plug. It was the right call for safety, but it definitely robbed some of the guys on the roster bubble of precious film time.
Why the NFL Hall of Fame Game 2024 Felt Different
The biggest storyline wasn't the score. It was the "Dynamic Kickoff."
This was the first time we saw the NFL’s massive overhaul of the kickoff rules in a real-game setting. The league is trying to save the play from extinction while reducing those high-speed, car-crash collisions that cause so many concussions.
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If you missed it, here is how it looked:
- The kicker stands alone at his 35-yard line.
- The rest of the kicking team lines up at the receiving team’s 40-yard line.
- The receiving team’s "set-up zone" is between the 30 and 35.
- Nobody—and I mean nobody—can move until the ball hits the ground or a player in the "landing zone" (the area between the goal line and the 20).
Basically, it looks like a goal-line stand happening in the middle of the field. Devin Hester, the legendary Bears returner who was inducted into the Hall of Fame just two days later, was watching from the sidelines. His take? He was "shocked" there weren't more big runs. Most of the returns were stuffed around the 25 or 26-yard line. It felt a bit clunky, but hey, it’s August. Coaches are still figuring out the geometry of the new lanes.
The Unlikely Stars: Rypien and Johnson
Preseason is for the grinders. While the stars sat out, Brett Rypien and Collin Johnson decided to have a career night. Rypien, a sixth-year vet who has bounced around the league, looked like a Hall of Famer for about 30 minutes. He finished 11-of-15 for 166 yards and three touchdowns.
His favorite target? Collin Johnson.
Johnson is 6-foot-6, and he played like it. He hauled in two touchdowns, including a spectacular leaping 27-yard grab where he basically climbed over a defender. For a guy fighting for a WR5 or WR6 spot on a deep Bears roster, that kind of performance is gold. It's the kind of night that gets you a job, if not in Chicago, then somewhere else on a waiver claim.
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On the Texans' side, Davis Mills and Case Keenum showed why Houston probably has the most stable backup QB situation in the AFC. Mills led a crisp 13-play opening drive, hitting Teagan Quitoriano for a touchdown. Cam Akers, coming back from yet another Achilles injury, also looked surprisingly spry, catching a 4-yard TD from Keenum.
Beyond the Box Score: The Hall of Fame Class of 2024
The game is just the opening act for the real event: the enshrinement. This year was particularly special for the teams involved. The Bears saw three legends—Devin Hester, Steve McMichael, and Julius Peppers—get the nod. The Texans finally got their first "homegrown" Hall of Famer in Andre Johnson.
The atmosphere in Canton was heavy with Bears history. Seeing "Mongo" McMichael, who is currently battling ALS, get his Gold Jacket at his home in suburban Chicago earlier that day was a tear-jerker. When the seven inductees walked through a gauntlet formed by both teams before kickoff, you could tell the players—even the ones who never saw them play live—felt the weight of it.
Lessons Learned from the Preseason Opener
So, what do we actually take away from the NFL Hall of Fame Game 2024?
First, the new kickoff isn't a "gimmick" anymore; it's a fundamental shift in how the game is played. Expect teams to be very conservative with their return schemes until the regular season starts. No one wants to put their "secret sauce" on tape in a storm-shortened August game.
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Second, the Bears' depth is better than people realize. Even without Caleb Williams, Matt Eberflus has a team that plays with a lot of energy. Their defense, even the third-stringers, was flying around.
Third, the Texans are deep at the skill positions. Seeing Cam Akers move the way he did was a great sign for a team that needs insurance behind Joe Mixon.
Your Post-Game Action Plan
If you're a die-hard fan or a fantasy football degenerate, don't overreact to these stats. Rypien's 148.9 passer rating doesn't mean he's the next starter.
- Watch the waiver wire: Keep an eye on Collin Johnson. If he doesn't make the Bears' final 53, he's a prime candidate for a team needing size in the red zone.
- Study the kickoff: If you play in a league that rewards return yards, the "Dynamic Kickoff" might actually make returners viable again, even if the first game was quiet.
- Check the injury reports: Both teams got out of the rain relatively healthy, which is the real victory in any preseason opener.
The NFL Hall of Fame Game 2024 was weird, short, and lacked star power, but it officially started the clock. We are back to having football on our screens, and honestly, that’s all that really matters.