Hall of Fame game kicks off 'Football's Greatest Weekend' in Canton

What fans call "Football's Greatest Weekend" is underway in Canton, Ohio, with the Pro Football Hall of Fame hosting its annual preseason game Thursday night between the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals.

The game brought Carolina and Arizona fans to Northeast Ohio ahead of a weekend full of enshrinement events. For one week, it is also the place where supporters of every NFL team set aside rivalries and share their love of football.

Former Colts executive and 2015 Hall of Fame inductee Bill Polian was among the gold jacket enshrinees fans could run into at the Hall on Thursday, along with Browns great Joe Thomas. Polian recalled Coach Marv Leavy's saying that everybody is undefeated at this time of year and hopes are high. This year's five enshrinees, including Drew Brees and Adam Vinatieri, drew fans from across the country.

The game is seen as the unofficial kickoff of the NFL season. "When football season starts, it's the end of seasonal depression around here," said Amos Wallace, a Cardinals fan from Hartville. Charlotte resident Cade Seidel, who came with his son, said the gathering is what it's all about.

Saturday brings the enshrinement ceremony, and Sunday wraps things up with a Concert for Legends at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.