With the offseason in the rearview mirror, the NFL’s Enshrinement Week will officially turn the page onto the new season as the first action kicks off on Thursday, August 3. The NFL’s Hall of Fame game has been a staple of the new calendar year, and while it’s just a preseason exhibition, it’s the start of an exciting new season nonetheless.
This year’s game will feature the Cleveland Browns facing the New York Jets, as both teams have ties to the incoming class of inductees. For the Browns, starting quarterback Deshaun Watson will likely not suit up for Thursday’s exhibition. According to the latest reports, a former Texas A&M quarterback will start instead.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanksi shared that former Aggies QB Kellen Mond will start for the team in Thursday’s Hall of Fame game. Playing behind Mond will be rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson Robinson, who was taken in the fifth round out of UCLA.
Mond was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings with the 66th pick of the 2021 NFL Draft. He spent four seasons with the Aggies from 2017 to 2020, throwing for 9,661 yards with 71 touchdowns and 17 interceptions with a career 132.0 passer rating in college. He also added 1,609 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns on the ground, finishing his career at Texas A&M as one of three SEC quarterbacks, along with Tim Tebow and Dak Prescott, to record over 9,000 career passing yards and 1,500 rushing yards.
Mond is listed as the third-string QB on the Browns’ depth chart, behind current backup Joshua Dobbs. While it remains to be seen whether he can challenge Dobbs for the backup job, a strong showing in the preseason could garner Mond some attention for a similar role elsewhere.
UPDATE: #Browns QB Kellen Mond will start for the team in Thursday’s HOF game vs the #Jets, per HC Kevin Stefanski
Their rookie QB, Dorian Thompson Robinson, will also see some playing time.
Kellen Mond was the 66th pick by the #Vikings back in 2021. pic.twitter.com/bpHbwiYFwQ
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) August 1, 2023
The Hall of Fame Game will be nationally broadcast on NBC and will stream live on Peacock. Coverage starts at 6 p.m. CT, with the game officially kicking off at 7 p.m. CT.
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