‘First Play’: 3,300 children pass football from Canton to Pro Football Hall of Fame

CANTON, Ohio — The “First Play” to the Pro Football Hall of Fame kicked off the enshrinement week celebrations.

Thousands of children passed the pigskin from the city of Canton to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which to some is the unofficial start of the NFL season, WKYC reported.

The first handoff was from former Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Bobby Taylor to Hall of Fame mascot Goldy the Goat in downtown Canton and continued all the way to the Hall of Fame, about three miles away, The Canton Repository reported. The event ended with the final handoff to Hall of Fame President Jim Porter, who said, “Football is back!” when he got the ball.

The ball will be used at kickoff in Thursday’s Pro Football Hall of Fame game between the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns, which starts at 8 p.m. and is part of enshrinement week.

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Jarell Briggs was surprised at just how big a football used in professional games really is.

“The ball, it was big,” Briggs told WKYC. “I never held an NFL ball in my life and that was my first time doing it. It was a great experience.”

The event was put on by the league’s youth football program Play Football.

The Hall of Fame Class of 2023 includes:

Joe Thomas (Cleveland Browns offense tackle).
Joe Klecko (New York Jets defensive end/defensive tackle/nose tackle).
Darrelle Revis (New York Jets cornerback).
Rondé Barber (Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback/safety).
Don Coryell (St. Louis Cardinals and San Diego Chargers coach).
Chuck Howley (Dallas Cowboys linebacker).
Ken Riley (Cincinnati Bengals cornerback).
Zach Thomas (Miami Dolphins linebacker).
DeMarcus Ware (Dallas Cowboys linebacker/defensive end).

The enshrinement ceremony will be held inside Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium on Saturday.

2023 Class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame 6 Oct 1996: Linebacker Zach Thomas of the Miami Dolphins looks on during a game against the Seatte Seahawks at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, Florida. The Seahawks won the game, 22-15. Mandatory Credit: Andy Lyons /Allsport (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

2023 Class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame LOS ANGELES - 1986: Head coach Don Coryell of the San Diego Chargers walks on the field before a 1986 NFL game against the Los Angeles Raiders at the LA Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. The Raiders defeated the Chargers 17-13. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images) (Rick Stewart/Getty Images)

2023 Class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Dallas Cowboys rookie linebacker Demarcus Ware watches play against the Seattle Seahawks in a pre-season game August 22, 2005 in Seattle. The Cowboys defeated the Seahawks 18 - 10. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images) (Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

2023 Class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame CINCINNATI, OH - 1969: Corner back Ken Riley #13 of the Cincinnati Bengals poses for a portrait circa 1969 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by B Bennett/Getty Images) (B Bennett/Getty Images)

2023 Class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 17: Offensive tackle Joe Thomas #73 of the Cleveland Browns before they take on the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on September 17, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr /Getty Images) (Rob Carr/Getty Images)

2023 Class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame ORCHARD PARK, NY - SEPTEMBER 15: Darrelle Revis #24 of the New York Jets warms up before the game against the Buffalo Bills at New Era Field on September 15, 2016 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images) (Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)

2023 Class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame TAMPA, FL - SEPTEMBER 09: Safety Ronde Barber #20 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers smiles during warmups just before the start of the game against the Carolina Panthers during the season opening NFL game at Raymond James Stadium on September 9, 2012 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by J. Meric/Getty Images) (J. Meric/Getty Images)

2023 Class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - DECEMBER 26: Former player Joe Klecko of the New York Jets speaks to the crowd as his jersey is retired during halftime against the New England Patriots on December 26, 2004 at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Patriots won the game 23-7. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) (Al Bello/Getty Images)

2023 Class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame DETROIT - FEBRUARY 05: Former Dallas Cowboys linebacker and MVP of Super Bowl V Chuck Howley is seen on the field as he is introduced prior to Super Bowl XL between the Seattle Seahawks and the Pittsburgh Steelers at Ford Field on February 5, 2006 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) (Brian Bahr/Getty Images)