Texans-Bears Hall of Fame Game (2024)

The first NFL game of the year will not be finished. The remainder of the league's annual Hall of Fame game has been called off with 3:36 left in the third quarter due to a thunderstorm in Canton, Ohio.

Chicago secures a 21-17 victory over Houston as QB Brett Rypien — not Caleb Williams — proves to be the star of the night. Rypien, who went undrafted in 2019, was 11-of-15 passing for 166 yards and three TDs. Meanwhile, Williams is slated to potentially make his preseason NFL debut Aug. 10 at Buffalo.

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On ESPN, Bears president/CEO Kevin Warren said the goal is still to have a shovel in the ground by 2025 with a new stadium open in 2028. “The focus is the museum campus downtown,” Warren said, adding that the Bears are the largest landowners in Arlington Heights, so that remains an option.

A thunderstorm is settling over Canton, Ohio, right now and it appears that the Hall of Fame game is in jeopardy of even being finished. Several fans had already started heading for the exits, and now everyone in attendance is being asked to find shelter.

For the few fans who plan to wait this delay out — if the weather lets up enough for the game to resume tonight — would their dedication to the first NFL game of the year warrant busts in Canton? I'm only kidding, but that would be some serious dedication and a clear sign that football is back.

With 3:31 left in the third quarter, the Bears and Texans left the field as a thunderstorm rolled into Canton. Fans were told to see shelter immediately.

Caleb Williams wanted to play tonight, but the Bears opted against it. In an in-game interview, the No. 1 pick said he was still grateful to go through warmups in full uniform before taking the night off. Chicago's next preseason game is Aug. 10 at Buffalo.

"Football isn't new to me, but a lot of this is new to me," Williams said. "Just progressing, soaking up all of the information that I can."

The Bears took a 21-17 lead, their first lead of the night, on a 9-yard touchdown pass from Brett Rypien to Collin Johnson. Johnson, a fifth-round pick by the Jaguars in 2020, has been a bit of a journeyman throughout his NFL career. He's entering his second year with the Bears after spending most of last year on the practice squad.

Johnson, who played at Texas, has football in his genes. His father, Johnnie, also played for the Longhorns and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2007. The elder Johnson went on to play 10 years in the NFL and was a first-team All-Pro for the Rams in 1983.

Only 22 percent of kickoffs were returned during the 2023 season, which is lowest percentage of returned kicks in league history (per the ABC broadcast).

If tonight is any indicator, that pace is going to be flipped in 2024, as only one out of six kickoffs resulted in a touchback through roughly midway into the third quarter.

The Bears' top five receivers seem set with Velus Jones Jr. and Tyler Scott rounding out the group. The sixth could be a returner, like DeAndre Carter or Dante Pettis. But Collin Johnson is having himself a night, with two touchdowns and 56 yards receiving. He spent most of last season on the practice squad before appearing in three games. If he can also be valuable on special teams, maybe he can get the sixth or seventh spot — of course, he'll have to continue being productive.

Preseason games typically aren’t high scoring affairs, which is why tonight’s Chicago-Houston contest opened with a 31.5-point over/under in total points.

With these teams combining for four first-half touchdowns and a field goal, the Bears and Texans have already put this game within a point of that mark. Per live in-game betting at BetMGM, the current over/under now sits at 47.5 points.

Tonight is a nice showing from Texans running back Cam Akers, who Houston signed after training camp started. Akers has seven total touches for 31 yards and now a touchdown catch.

The Super Bowl LVI champion was signed with Joe Mixon suffering from a hamstring injury during camp, but perhaps he could find a role on this team, even with Mixon and Dameon Pierce in the fold.

Akers has battled injuries but isn't far removed from standout seasons with the Los Angeles Rams.

Xavier Hutchinson, selected in the sixth round last year by the Texans, has put together a solid first half. He's totaled five catches for 56 yards and one carry for eight yards. Houston certainly isn't lacking at wide receiver with Nico Collins, Sefon Diggs and Tank Dell headlining that position, but Hutchinson is clearly trying to show that the talent in that room doesn't stop with the big three.

It's The Brett Rypien Game!

He marched the Bears downfield for a touchdown before half. His throws have been on the money with velocity. Wide receiver Collin Johnson, who could be in the competition for a last receiver spot, made an impressive leaping catch on the sideline. Then Tommy Sweeney was the recipient of the score. There might be room for a fourth tight end, and Sweeney would be competing with Stephen Carlson. One thing we might be able to see tonight is how much offensive coordinator wants to use tight ends. Sweeney has three catches for 47 yards and Carlson has a nine-yard reception.

Nice play by undrafted rookie corner Leon Jones Jr. to break up that pass on third down. It's unlikely there's a roster spot for a corner, but he could vie for the practice squad.