The NFL/Hall of Fame Game: Steelers vs. Vikings

The National Football League’s 96th season kicks off at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium as the Minnesota Vikings face the Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL/Hall of Fame Game on Sunday, Aug. 9 at 8 pm.

VIKINGS, STEELERS TO WEAR DECALS HONORING BETTIS & TINGELHOFF

Both teams  will  take  the  field  with  special  decals  affixed  to  their  helmets  to  honor two of the franchise’s greatest legends being enshrined as part of the Hall’s Class of 2015.

Jerome Bettis spent 10 of his 13 NFL seasons with the Steelers from 1996-2005 and remains the franchise’s all-time leader in games with 100 or more yards rushing.

Mick Tingelhoff played his entire 17-season career with Minnesota and played on all four of the Vikings Super Bowl teams.

The decals will include the Hall of Fame’s logo, the enshrinee’s last name and their jersey number (Tingelhoff –53; Bettis –36).

STEELERS, VIKINGS RESULTS IN NFL/HALL OF FAME GAME

The Steelers will make their sixth appearance in the Hall of Fame Game.

Sept. 8, 1963 – vs. Cleveland Browns (W, 16-7)
Sept. 6, 1964 – vs. Baltimore Colts (L, 17-48)
July 30, 1983 – vs. New Orleans Saints (W, 27-14)
Aug. 1, 1998 – vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (L, 6-30)
Aug. 5, 2007 – vs. New Orleans Saints (W, 20-7)

Minnesota travels to Canton for the fourth time.

Aug. 8, 1970 – vs. New Orleans Saints (L, 13-14)
Aug. 7, 1982 – vs. Baltimore Colts (W, 30-14)
July 26, 1997 – vs. Seattle Seahawks (W, 28-26)

Notable:

Many notable players have made their NFL debuts in the annual Hall of Fame Game including three future Hall of Famers – Chis Hanburger (1965), Jack Youngblood (1971) and John Hannah (1973). A sampling of prominent players who debuted in Canton include: Jeff Van Note (Falcons, 1969), Joe Klecko (Jets, 1977), Steve Tasker and Mike Golic (Oilers, 1985), Mark Bavaro (Giants, 1985), Christian Okoye (Chiefs, 1987), Willie “Flipper” Anderson (Rams, 1988), Herman Moore (Lions, 1991), Marvin Harrson, (Colts, 1996), Hines Ward (Steelers, 1998), and Tom Brady (Patriots, 2000).

The Vikings own the record for most yards gained in Hall of Fame Game to taling 531 yards (1982).

The record for most rushes in the Hall of Fame Game (48) belongs to the 1983 Pittsburgh Steelers team that defeated the New Orleans Saints.

The game features a rematch of Super Bowl IX in which the Steelers won their first Super Bowl championship with a 16-6 win over the Vikings.

NATIONAL BROADCAST

NBC’s Sunday Night Football broadcast team will call the game from Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

Play-by-Play: Al Michaels
Analyst: Cris Collinsworth
Sideline Reporter: Paul Burmeister

Westwood One Radio will broadcast the NFL/Hall of Fame Game to more than 250 radio stations nationwide. The broadcast will be heard on more than 250 radio stations nationwide, including locally on WRQK-FM (Canton), WARF-AM (Akron), and WKRK-FM (Cleveland). In addition, Westwood One’s broadcast can be heard on SiriusXM Channel 88 and online at NFL.com.

Play-by-Play: Scott Graham
Analyst: James Lofton (Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2003)

ENTERTAINMENT

National Anthem: A quartet from the Canton Symphony Orchestra.

Game Ball:The U.S. Army Golden Knights will parachute to midfield of Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium to deliver the game ball.

Coin Toss: Two recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor Donald “Doc” Ballard and Leroy A. Petry, US Army-Pro Football Hall of Fame Award for Excellence Winner Courtney Cecere and Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army Marketing and Research Group Mark Davis.

Halftime: The marching band from Jackson High School (Massillon, OH) will perform a tribute to Super Bowl 50.

Quotable

“We are taking our team through the Hall of Fame the night before the game because I think it is important for the team to have a sense of the history of pro football. It is an honor to have the Vikings play in the Hall of Fame game.” – Mike Zimmer, Minnesota Vikings head coach

“It’s a special place. It’s a neat game to be a part of as well. We are happy to be  involved  with  all  that  goes  into  Hall  of  Fame  weekend.  And  this  year, Jerome Bettis, becomes a Hall of Famer. It was an honor to be a teammate of his. I couldn’t be happier for him.”– Heath Miller, Pittsburgh Steelers tight end

“Hall of Fame Weekend in Canton is always very special because it’s the perfect blend of the past and the present.” – NBC’s Al Michaels, who will call his 27th Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 9.

“I’ve had the honor of producing the Pro Football Hall of Fame game at two networks and while televising an NFL game in a high school stadium brings challenges, there’s something about the simplicity of the environment that feels right. However, it would be nice not to have to deal with three sets of hash marks!” –Fred Gaudelli, NBC Sports coordinating producer