There is a bit of silver lining about Curtis Martin not getting elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on the first ballot last night. The Jets will now likely avoid having to play an extra preseason game.

Every year, a pair of teams must play an extra exhibition game in Canton, Ohio, on Hall of Fame weekend. It is fittingly called the Hall of Fame Game. The game frequently features the teams of players being inducted. Had Martin been voted in, the Jets would have been a likely participant. Without Martin, it is extremely unlikely they will be playing in it.

I am on record that preseason football is mostly useless. The biggest thing it does is give important players a chance to get injured. In recent years, we have seen Peyton Manning and LaDainian Tomlinson sit out entire preseasons and go on to with the MVP that year.

In a contact sport like football, avoiding an extra meaningless game is a good thing.