CANTON, Ohio — Some people might actually argue the start of the NFL season really starts in downtown Canton with the First Play event, an annual tradition hosted by the NFL's youth football initiative Play Football.
Wednesday, thousands of kids formed a human chain for the 23rd annual event, passing the football that will be used at kick off in Thursday's Pro Football Hall of Fame game.
The chain starts with Hall of Fame mascot Goldy the Goat in Downtown Canton, which is the birthplace of the NFL. It then goes from kid to kid for three miles, winding through the streets, collecting energy from each electrified child with each pass.
“It’s like adrenaline,” said Dallas Edgerton. "It's very exciting that it's going to be in the game, and that you got to touch the football."
Jarell Briggs felt the same awe.
"The ball, it was big," he told 3 News. "I never held an NFL ball it my life and that was my first time doing it. It was a great experience."
As the ball arrived at the steps of the Hall of Fame itself, the final kid passed the ball to President of the Hall of Fame Jim Porter, who raised the ball in the air and yelled, "Football is back!"
It takes about 3,000 kids to pull off this annual tradition year after year.
The Hall of Fame Game will be at Hall of Fame Stadium on Thursday night. The New York Jets will play the Cleveland Browns.
The Enshrinee's Gold Jacket Dinner is Friday evening, with Cleveland Browns legend Joe Thomas set to be inducted with the Class of 2023.