The NFL and the Pro Football Hall of Fame have announced that all events tied to the induction of the 2020 class, including the Hall of Fame Game, have been postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

This year's Hall of Fame Game, the traditional opener of the preseason, was to be held on August 6 in Canton, Ohio with the Dallas Cowboys facing the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The two teams will instead meet in the 2021 edition which was rescheduled for August 5 next year.

Enshrinement of the 2020 Hall of Fame class, a 20-member group that will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the NFL, will now take place over a two-day period from August 7-8 in 2021.

"We believe postponing Enshrinement Week events in 2020 is the right way to honour our Enshrinees and their families properly, along with the other living Gold Jackets who want to come to Canton for this celebration," Pro Football Hall of Fame president David Baker said.

"We also believe next year promises to be the greatest gathering in football ever."

Ten modern-era members, including former Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson, ex-Steelers coach Bill Cowher and former Steelers safety Troy Polamalu, were selected to be part of the 2020 Centennial Class along with 10 others chosen by the seniors committee. The latter group had been scheduled to be inducted in September.

Steve Atwater, Isaac Bruce, Steve Hutchinson and Edgerrin James were also voted in as modern-era players, while former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue was selected as a contributor along with former NFL Films president Steve Sabol and executive George Young.

The Cowboys-Steelers matchup is the first game of the upcoming preseason to be officially cancelled. The NFL has yet to determine whether it will reduce the preseason from its usual four weeks in light of the difficulties presented by the COVID-19 situation.