As of today, there are now only 189 days until the 2012 NFL regular season begins. The league announced when, where and part of who will be playing in the season opener. As has been the case, the Super Bowl Champions host the first game and this year will be no different, although due to a scheduling conflict, the game will be played on the Wednesday before the opening weekend, as opposed to the normal Thursday. See the NFL official press release below:
The 2012 season-opening NFL Kickoff game will be played on Wednesday, September 5 (NBC, 8:30 PM ET), Commissioner ROGER GOODELL announced. The game will be played on Wednesday to avoid a conflict with President Barack Obama’s Thursday night speech at the Democratic National Convention. The Super Bowl XLVI-champion New York Giants will host the season-opener at MetLife Stadium. NBC will televise the game at 8:30 PM ET and NFL Kickoff 2012 beginning at 7:30 PM ET.
(Click on the 'Jump' to read the NFL press release on the preseason opening Hall of Fame game)
The National Football League announced that the Arizona Cardinals and the New Orleans Saints will kick off the preseason on Sunday August 5, in the 2012 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio. The game will be televised nationally on NFL Network with kickoff set for 8 p.m. ET.
This summer’s game marks the fifth time the Saints have played in the Hall of Fame Game. They last played in Canton in 2007, in a 20-7 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers and have an overall 1-3 record in the Hall of Fame Game series.
The Cardinals, who played the New York Giants to a 21-21 tie in the first-ever Hall of Fame Game in 1962, return to Canton’s Pro Football Hall of Fame Field at Fawcett Stadium this summer for their fourth visit and the first since 1986. The Cardinals are 1-1-1 in their Hall of Fame Game appearances.
Arizona and New Orleans will take the field one day after the newest class of enshrinees – Jack Butler, Dermontti Dawson, Chris Doleman, Cortez Kennedy, Curtis Martin and long-time New Orleans Saints tackle Willie Roaf – are formally enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame during ceremonies held at Fawcett Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 4. Roaf is just the second long-time Saints player to be elected to the Hall of Fame.
Tickets for the game are priced at $35, $45, $60, and $70 and will go on sale March 13. Additional information on both the Hall of Fame Game and the 2012 Enshrinement Ceremony including Enshrinement Festival fan packages can be found on Profootballhof.com.