The Las Vegas Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars will open the 2022 NFL preseason schedule on Aug. 4 in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio.
Former Raiders receiver Cliff Branch and defensive lineman Richard Seymour will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Aug. 6, as will ex-Jaguars tackle Tony Boselli.
The late Branch, a four-time Pro Bowl selection and three-time first-team All-Pro who was one of the most dynamic receivers of his era, caught 501 passes for 8,685 yards and 67 touchdowns in 14 seasons (1972 to ’85) and was a part of three Raiders Super Bowl-winning teams. Seymour, a seven-time Pro Bowl selection and twice a first-team All-Pro, played his final four NFL seasons with the Raiders after spending eight seasons with the New England Patriots.
Boselli is the first player drafted by the Jaguars to be elected to the Hall of Fame. He was the first draft pick in franchise history; the team selected him second overall in 1995 after the Cincinnati Bengals drafted running back Ki-Jana Carter. Boselli is a five-time Pro Bowler, three-time All-Pro, and a member of the 1990s All-Decade team.
This will be the fourth appearance by the Raiders in the game and the second for the Jaguars. Jacksonville’s previous participation came in the Jaguars’ first NFL exhibition game against the Carolina Panthers, their fellow expansion franchise, in 1995.
Also being enshrined this year from the modern-era players list are LeRoy Butler, Sam Mills and Bryant Young, plus coach Dick Vermeil, and contributor Art McNally. Branch enters from the senior category.
The game will mark the debut for Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels, who is a Canton native and played his home high school football games at Fawcett Stadium, the predecessor to the current hall stadium. Doug Pederson will work his first game as Jaguars head coach.
ESPN’s Michael DiRocco and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Source: www.espn.com