The NFL will cancel the Hall of Fame Game. The St. Louis Rams and the Chicago Bears were scheduled to play the Hall of Fame Game on August 7, the official kick off of the NFL preseason. However, the game is now officially nixed according to commissioner Roger Goodell.
Goodell broke the news in a press conference immediately following the ratification of the antitrust settlement by owners. The settlement lays out the conditions and terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement that will govern the NFL for the next ten year. Owners acceptance of the deal today puts the ball in the players' court. The NFLPA has dithered all day with the notion of re-certification of the union, a condition of approving the deal. Their argument is that the process will take days, if not weeks.
Players need to get their ducks in a row and vote. If they can approve the deal, the lockout would be lifted on Saturyda, with players returning to facilities. Starting Sunday afternoon, the window for teams to sign their own free agents, draft picks and undrafted free agents opens. The real fun starts on Wednesday when the league year would officially begin, allowing teams to make trades and sign free agents.
The lockout is almost over...just one more step to go.