Ohio High School Football Championships to Return to the Pro Football Hall Of Fame

Tom Benson Stadium at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio will continue to host Ohio's high school football championships through 2023, the Ohio High School Athletic Association announced on Wednesday. 

From 1998 through 2013, Canton and the City of Massillon served as co-hosts for the state championships. All seven OHSAA championship games were played in Canton from 2017 to 2019. Last year's title games were moved away from Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"We want a wow factor for our kids," said OHSAA Executive Director Doug Ute during a news conference at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. "They get off a bus and say, 'Wow, this is something special.' This place certainly gives us that.

"We are grateful to the Hall of Fame for their partnership, and we look forward to collaborating with the Hall year-round.”

“The Hall of Fame prides itself in treating OHSAA football teams and their fans the same way we treat the NFL teams and their fans,” said Pro Football Hall of Fame Chief Administrative Officer Steve Strawbridge. “We give them a first-class experience while they are here. We take the teams through the museum and promote the values of the game."

While an official schedule hasn't been announced, the 2021 championship games will be played December 2-5.

Photo: AP/David Richard