The Pittsburgh Steelers are now into the offseason, following a year in which they had high hopes for Super Bowl success, but ultimately fell short of even reaching the postseason at 8-8. It was a tumultuous season, both on the field and within the roster, and the months to follow figure to have some drama as well, especially in light of the team’s failure to improve upon the year before.
The team made some bold moves over the course of the past year, and some areas of the roster look quite a bit different than they did a year ago, or even at the start of the regular season. Whether due to injuries or otherwise, a lot has transpired, and we’re left to wonder how much more will change prior to September.
How will Ben Roethlisberger’s rehab progress as he winds toward recovery from an elbow injury that cost him almost the entire season? What about some of the key young players, some of whom have already impressed, others still needing quite a bit of growth? Will there be changes to the coaching staff? The front office? Who will they not retain in free agency, and whom might they bring in?
These are the sorts of questions among many others that we have been exploring on a daily basis and will continue to do so. Football has become a year-round pastime and there is always a question to be asked, though there is rarely a concrete answer, as I’ve learned in my years of doing this.
Question: Will the Hall of Fame induction ceremony occur on time?
It was reported yesterday that, as of now, the plans for the Hall of Fame Game remain largely as they were. The intention is still to host the game, and even for fans to be in attendance. One would assume that this means the Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony also remains on track.
But it’s important to remember that these are projections. If these events were supposed to happen tomorrow, governmental regulations would not allow them to happen. We are speculating about how things will be two months from now, and it’s possible we’re being too optimistic—even so optimistic that we experience a backslide due to dropping our guard.
Another thing worth noting is that the Hall of Fame has ruled out a ‘virtual’ enshrinement ceremony. Either they are going to conduct the event in a fashion fairly resembling the normal, or they will postpone it. Even until next year if they have to. The community of gold jackets is a critical part of the experience for the new members, and that’s worth preserving even if it means a delay, they contend.
