Hall of Fame Weekend Kicks-Off Thursday

The new football year officially starts, as the Pro Football Hall of Fame weekend begins Thursday night in Canton, when the Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals face off from Tom Benson stadium at 8:00 p.m.

The induction ceremony for the seven-player class will take place on Saturday, following a parade put on by the Canton Repository.

This line-up of events is a change from recent years, when the game was played on the Sunday following the enshrinement.

This year’s class consists of:

- Former Cardinals and St. Louis Rams quarterback Kurt Warner

- Former Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor

- Former San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson

- Former Denver Broncos running back Terrell Davis

- Former Seattle Seahawks safety Kenny Easley

- Former Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints kicker Morten Andersen

- Current Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones

Last season, the Hall of Fame game scheduled between the Green Bay Packers and the Indianapolis Colts was canceled due to poor field conditions. Concerns over player safety were raised when paint at midfield and in the end zone hardened too much for the field to be played on.

Since last year, the stadium has undergone renovations that will be unveiled Thursday night.