The Denver Broncos will face the Atlanta Falcons in the 2019 NFL Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 1, kicking off the league’s preseason.
That means the Broncos and Falcons will both play in five exhibition contests this summer. Does that mean it will be harder for those teams to keep their players fresh going into the regular season?
“No,” Broncos coach Vic Fangio said at the NFL owners meetings Tuesday. “The new CBA (collective bargaining agreement) they put in a couple years ago has kept guys fresh. Training camp is nothing like it used to be.”
Fangio went on to point out that because they’re playing in the Hall of Fame Game, Denver will get to start training camp a week early.
“All it is, is an extra week, and when you break it down even more so, maybe an extra four or five really good practices which we can use. I’m excited to have the Hall of Fame Game, both from the 2019 Broncos perspective, but also excited to be there because [owner] Pat Bowlen and [former CB] Champ Bailey are going in. I think it’s a natural for us to play in the game.”
Fangio served as the Chicago Bears’ defensive coordinator last year when they faced the Baltimore Ravens in the 2018 Hall of Fame Game. Having an extra preseason game didn’t seem to hinder either of those teams as they both went on to reach the playoffs.
