The long wait for football to return is almost over as the Chicago Bears take on the Houston Texans as pre-season officially starts.
As is tradition in the NFL, pre-season kicks off with the Pro Football Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio with the Bears and the Texans the two to face off.
The game will give supporters of both sides a chance to see how they are shaping up ahead of the new season with a number of draft picks bound to be involved.
Here is all you need to know ahead of the Hall of Fame game.
📰 Table Of Contents
When and where do the Bears play the Texans in pre-season?
Kick-off for the Bears versus the Texans is on Thursday, August 1 at 8pm Eastern Time.
Action takes place at the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, OH.
Why is it called the Hall of Fame game?
The annual Hall of Fame Game in Canton kicks off “Enshrinement Week,” celebrating the newest Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees.
This preseason game takes place on Thursday, marking the start of the weekend festivities. The formal enshrinement ceremony, where inductees receive their busts, occurs on Saturday afternoon.
The 2024 Hall of Fame Inductees are Dwight Freeney, Randy Gradishar, Devin Hester, Andre Johnson, Steve McMichael, Julius Peppers and Patrick Willis.
How to watch Chicago Bears vs Houston Texans
TV: ESPN / ABC
The Bears vs Texans will be broadcast nationally on both ESPN and ABC, with coverage starting at 8pm ET.
View this post on Instagram
How to stream Chicago Bears vs Houston Texans
The 2024 Hall of Fame Game will be available for streaming on the Watch ESPN app, featuring the ABC and ESPN broadcast.
Fans can also stream the game through any service that includes ABC and ESPN in its lineup.
A cable login is required to access the stream on either platform.
Match preview
The key questions on Bears supporters’ lips was whether No1 draft pick Caleb Williams would start at quarter-back just two weeks into their training camp.
However, Williams will not be involved on Thursday night, with back-up QB Tyson Bagent getting the nod.
Though he did not mentioning specific names, coach Matt Eberflus has confirmed that a number of starters are unlikely to feature.
DeMeco Ryans has been similary coy about who will turn out for the Texans, wryly responding to questions over whether second-year quarterback sensation C.J. Stroud would play with: “We’ll see”.
DeMeco when asked if CJ will play Thursday 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/S5W5l5isv2
— Houston Stressans (@TexansCommenter) July 29, 2024
Similarly to Williams, it appears unlikely Stroud will feature but it could be a good chance for supporters to see some of their later draft picks in action.
