The New Orleans Saints open their 2012 preseason schedule on Sunday, when they take on the Arizona Cardinals in the annual Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio.
When New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton was suspended by the NFL for his alleged role in "bountygate" the NFL made it pretty clear he could not interact with anyone from the Saints without permission from the league.
In fact, if he had as much as an incidental contact with a player or assistant coach, he had to report it to the league office...
Seven new members will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, on Saturday night.
But what about next year? Will Curtis Martin and Jerome Bettis be voted in, after not getting enough support this year? What about former player Tiki Barber, and former coaches Bill Cowher, and Bill Parcells, who will be eligible for election for the first time?
Tom Brady, Terrell Owens, Jeff Saturday, and Drew Brees are just a few examples of the fact that you don't have to be taken in the first round of the NFL draft to make it to Canton.
Former LSU All-American and nine-time NFL Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca announced his retirement yesterday. Faneca's 13 year career is littered with accolades, potentially making him a future candidate for the NFL Hall of Fame.
Willie Roaf is not dismayed about missing out on the Hall of Fame. In his first year of eligibility, the former New Orleans Saint and Kansas City Chief offensive tackle made the final 10 cut, but was not among the 7 electees.
Former Saints offensive lineman Willie Roaf is one of 17 finalists up for Hall of Fame enshrinement this year. He was an 11 time pro bowler, 7 time all-pro, 9 time all-conference, and two time all decade team (90s, 00s) selection. His resume speaks for itself.