Steelers Super Bowl 56 odds: No team has won NFL Hall of Fame Game and Super Bowl in same season

A lot of historical trends are largely irrelevant because they have nothing to do with current players/teams, etc., but they still are interesting. And here's one: No team has won the preseason-opening NFL Hall of Fame Game and the Super Bowl in the same season. Just letting Pittsburgh Steelers fans know that following their ugly 16-3 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in Canton, Ohio, on Thursday night. The Steelers are +4000 at Caesars Sportsbook to win Super Bowl 56.

Nowadays, the NFL doesn't necessarily schedule marquee teams in the Hall of Fame Game – although it certainly did this year – but clubs with ties to those being inducted into the Hall that weekend.

Far as I can tell, the last team to win the Hall of Fame Game and reach the Super Bowl was the 2001 St. Louis Rams. They beat Miami 17-10 to kick off the preseason and lost Super Bowl XXXVI on a last-second field goal to the New England Patriots and some young QB named Tom Brady.

Some unusual historical streaks are due to end, though: No team had won a Super Bowl in its own stadium until Brady and the Tampa Bay Bucs did in February. Super Bowl 56 is in Los Angeles.

Probably the biggest storyline from Thursday was the battle for backup quarterback on the Steelers between Mason Rudolph, who started, and Dwayne Haskins. Rudolph played the majority of the first half and went 6-for-9 for 84 yards and a 96.5 passer rating but lost a fumble. Haskins finished 8-for-13 for 54 yards and a 70.7 rating. Neither threw a pick.

Probably slight edge to Rudolph, but he has a history of turnover problems. Mike Tomlin has yet to say who would start next Thursday's preseason game in Philadelphia. The Eagles opened as 1-point favorites.

Rookie running back Najee Harris, the Steelers' first-round pick in this year's draft, made his NFL debut and had seven carries for 22 yards, a 3.1-yard average, while seeing action only in the first half. Harris is +1100 to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Dallas, meanwhile, is at Arizona next Friday and the Cardinals are 1.5-point favorites. You won't see Cowboys starting QB Dak Prescott in that game, either, as he's dealing with a shoulder injury. Fox Sports' Jay Glazer reported Thursday that Prescott is dealing with "more of a baseball injury," but is still expected to be ready for Week 1.

If you are wondering who might play in the 2022 Hall of Fame Game, there really aren't any mortal locks player-wise among first-timers to be inducted. Some of the bigger names: Steve Smith, Andre Johnson, Vince Wilfork, DeMarcus Ware and Tony Romo.

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