The Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals will take on one another to kick off the 2017 NFL preseason in Canton early next month. It’s a way for the NFL to pay respects to its Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2017.
Unfortunately for fans in Canton, two of the game’s most-notable players will not be playing. Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians said on Saturday that both Carson Palmer and Larry Fitzgerald will sit out.
B.A. says the starters will get more reps in the preseason, but that Carson and Larry won't play in the Hall of Fame Game.
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) July 22, 2017
Likely entering their final season in the NFL, there’s really no reason for either veteran to play a meaningless fifth preseason game. But the decision to sit both of them out will likely lead to a less entertaining product.
It’s an issue that the NFL has dealt with for years now. How can it get fans interested in games that don’t matter in the standings? Relying on backups and training camp fodder surely won’t do that.
But from a Cardinals perspective, this makes all the sense in the world.