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A fans' guide to the 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement this weekend in Canton
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- A fans' guide to the 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement this weekend in Canton
CANTON— The pace of Enshrinement Week picked up quite a bit Friday.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2024 was the center of attention at a couple of events, including the Gold Jacket Dinner this evening at Memorial Civic Center.
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Here's what you need to know about what happened Friday and what's to come the rest of the weekend, including Saturday afternoon's Enshrinement .
Dwight Freeney, a former Indianapolis Colts star, answers questions from the media in the offices of The Canton Repository on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. Freeney will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday.
Read about Saturday's 2024 Hall of Fame Enshrinement
'Sensory overload': New Hall of Famers take in their first Ray Nitschke Luncheon on Friday
Dwight Freeney called Friday's Ray Nitschke Luncheon, where the new class spends time with past members in a HOFers-only affair, "sensory overload."
Witnessing past heroes in such an intimate affair can turn Freeney and other greats into fans, such as when he saw Ronnie Lott.
"I'm looking at his hand, trying to see if his pinkie is still there," Freeney said with a laugh. "I'm like, 'Oh, man, he's a beast.' You just see guys — Mean Joe Greene, Warren Sapp. I'm sitting there like, 'Man, I wish I had Warren Sapp as a D-tackle,' and (thinking about) how much havoc you can cause in the backfield."
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— Josh Weir
Michael Jordan at HOF Enshrinement? Hall of Fame Enshrinement 2024 | Michael Jordan in Dwight Freeney's family & friends section
Misty McMichael, wife of 2024 enshrinee Steve McMichael takes the stage at The 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival Fashion Show at Canton Memorial Civic Center, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024.
Steve McMichael's wife Misty hoping to raise awareness for ALS
As Misty McMichael represents her husband this weekend in Canton, she hopes it will raise awareness for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Steve McMichael was diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disorder, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, in 2020, at which point Misty says, "I didn't know anything about it." She reached out to the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund to see if there were any football wives who had husbands battling ALS.
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She was connected with Chie Smith, whose husband, Steve, a former NFL running back, was in a long battle the condition that lasted until 2021, when he passed away at the age of 57.
"So I called her and it was just a blessing to have her because I was blindsided," McMichael said. "I didn't know what to do or how to do it. And she gave me a blueprint."
— Josh Weir
Class of 2024 Hall of Famer Andre Johnson (left), who starred for the Houston Texans, and Texans principal owner Cal McNair (right) arrive at the Pro Football Hall of Fame before the Hall of Fame Game featuring the Texans at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Aug 1, 2024.
Pro Football Hall of Famers meet media at Canton Repository
The Class of 2024 filtered through the lobby Friday afternoon to meet with media, many from out of town to cover the Enshrinement.
Pass rushing legends Dwight Freeney and Julius Peppers talked a little basketball .
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Andre Johnson previewed his Enshrinement speech a bit and talked about the impact beyond the field NFL stars make .
Johnson said he has enjoyed his time in Canton.
"It's been amazing," he said. "Everybody has made me feel very welcome. Other people have always told me how good things are here, and I've had just a great experience this week."
Patrick Willis reminisced about when he decided his future was at linebacker , not running back, soon after arriving at Ole Miss.
Hall of Fame inductees walk downtown Canton on Friday morning
The Pro Football Hall of Famer Walk & Photo Op opened the day Friday. The walk was this morning at 10:30, starting at the intersection of Market Avenue and Third Street S and proceeding to Centennial Plaza in downtown Canton.
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The Fashion Show Luncheon followed at 11 a.m. at Memorial Civic Center.
Hall of Famers walk downtown Canton: Path of Glory: Gold Jackets gather downtown for group photo at Centennial Plaza
Enshrinees' Gold Jacket dinner is Friday's highlight
The new class members received their iconic gold jackets during the Enshrinees' Gold Jacket Dinner at Memorial Civic Center.
The enshrinees walked through more than 100 returning Hall of Famers to the stage and received their gold jackets, considered the first symbol of induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
More Hall of Fame coverage: Hoop dreams and football realities for Hall of Famers Julius Peppers and Dwight Freeney
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2024 NFL Hall of Fame Class - Who will be enshrined Saturday?
The Class of 2024 features Dwight Freeney , Randy Gradishar , Devin Hester , Andre Johnson , Steve McMichael , Julius Peppers and Patrick Willis .
Canton's Pro Football Hall of Fame parade kicks off Saturday
Exterior view of the Pro Football Hall of Fame before the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans play in the Hall of Fame Game at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Aug 1, 2024.
The Canton Repository Grand Parade , which runs along Cleveland Avenue in downtown Canton, begins at 8 a.m. Saturday. The parade features the new enshrinees, returning Hall of Famers, 10 giant helium balloons, marching bands, more than a dozen colorful floats and dance troupes along the 2.2-mile route.
Pro Football Hall of Fame Parade: Everything you need to know about the 2024 Canton Repository Grand Parade
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The main event - Hall of Fame Enshrinement
The Enshrinement is noon Saturday at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. ESPN's Chris Berman will be the host. The Class of 2024 will be the stars.
Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024 Enshrinement speech order
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Dwight Freeney
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Steve McMichael
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Randy Gradishar
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Julius Peppers
Enshrinees are asked to keep their remarks to about 10 minutes each, similar to recent ceremonies.
Class of 2024 banner outside the Pro Football Hall of Fame before the Bears and Texans play in the Hall of Fame Game, Aug 1, 2024.
Enshrinees Roundtable is now called Unscripted & Tailgate
What's become a popular Sunday event, the Enshrinees Roundtable, has a new name this year: Unscripted & Tailgate. The event is still at Memorial Civic Center. It begins at 11 a.m.
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Hall of Fame's Concert for Legends features Carrie Underwood on Sunday night
Carrie Underwood performs classic hits and songs from new album, "Denim & Rhinestones," at Nationwide Arena on Saturday.
The Concert for Legends launched in 2015 with Aerosmith . The concert has been held on five different nights since its inception. After two straight years being on a Saturday, the event returns to Sunday night at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.
It will open at 8 p.m. with country singer and songwriter Jackson Dean , followed by eight-time Grammy winner Carrie Underwood, who will be the Concert for Legends' first female headliner.
Standard tickets, starting at $139, and resale tickets at a variety of prices are available at www.ticketmaster.com/tom-benson-hall-of-fame-stadium-tickets-canton/venue/42103 .
Texans wide receiver Ben Skowronek (front) makes a first-quarter catch in front of Bears cornerback Jaylon Jones at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Aug. 1, 2024.
Who won NFL's Hall of Fame Game last night?
The festivities in Canton got rolling Thursday night with the Bears beating the Texans 21-17 in the Hall of Fame Game, which again kicked off the 2024 NFL preseason. This year's game, though, lasted just shy of three quarters before it was halted permanently late in the third quarter by severe weather. Additional coverage from the game includes:
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Dominique Robinson of Chicago Bears enjoys Hall of Fame Game homecoming
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Hall of Fame Game plays like a Johnny Cash song for Ben McDaniels, Texans, Bears assistants .
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2024 Enshrinement schedule, info
