Another NFL season is upon us.

The Packers and Bears will pop the cork on 2019 when they face off Thursday night at Soldier Field.

It's an appropriate decision by the league to have those teams open this, the 100th NFL season. There are several great rivalries in pro football, but no two teams have faced off against each other more than Green Bay and Chicago.

The league often shines a light on its history. Aside from the annual hall of fame inductions, most teams wear throwback uniforms a couple of times per season.

Prior to the kickoff of Super Bowl XL in 2006, former MVPs of the big game were recognized on the field. I thought that was a great nod to former stars.

But as much as the league touts its former eras, there are things about yesterday's game that are, most likely, lost to the ages.

I fell for the NFL — hook, line and sinker — at a very young age. I still have a heavy interest, but it is not the sport I grew up watching. From the game itself to the manner in which it is promoted, I miss the NFL of the 1980s and 90s. Following are a few nuggets of pro football you can only find if you watch an old game on tape, DVD or YouTube.

Stadium names

Stadium names used to be attached to the teams that called them home. Riverfront Stadium, Candlestick Park, the Astrodome and Kingdome, Three Rivers Stadium. The names became as much a part of a team's identity as the logo on their helmets.

Now the vast majority of stadium names go to the highest bidder, which can obviously change over time.

Now we watch games played at venues named NRG Stadium, CenturyLink Field and State Farm Stadium.

The Miami Dolphins moved out of the Orange Bowl following the 1986 season. They have played in the same stadium since then, though the name has changed six times in the last 32 years. What began as Joe Robbie Stadium in honor of the franchise's founder in 1987 is now Hard Rock Stadium.

There are also Hard Rock Cafes in Atlanta, New Orleans, Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles, Nashville, among other NFL cities. You get the point. Hard Rock Stadium doesn't say “Miami”, even if the business is headquartered in South Florida.

There are a few holdouts. The Chiefs have played in Arrowhead Stadium since 1972. The Rams play in the ancient Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, though they are set to move in 2020 into Los Angeles Stadium at Hollywood Park, a 5-billion dollar playground.

The Bengals call Paul Brown Stadium home, a nod to the team's first coach and Pro Football Hall-of-Famer.

The Steelers' Heinz Field has been named so since it began hosting games in 2001, but I hear that may soon change. I suggest renaming the venue after former owner Art Rooney or coaching great Chuck Noll, but it simply wouldn't pay to do that.

Saturday games

Saturday afternoon games in December. For me, it was as sure a sign that Christmas was right around the corner as the tree in our living room.

College football's regular season was over and the NFL took advantage by playing four games on Saturday, two each on back-to-back weekends. The early games would always have a 12:30 p.m. kickoff.

Terry Bradshaw's last game was a Saturday matinee against the Jets in 1983.

The NFL last played such games in 2005. There are still weekends in December that feature games on Saturday. A few start at 4:30, but most are at night. Again, can't pass up those prime-time advertising dollars.

Rule changes

Of course, there are the rules changes that have completely altered the way the game is played. I could write an entire column just on that subject.

Whether it's football, baseball, hockey, etc., I think a lot of sports fans look back fondly on how the game was played and how it was presented when they were growing up.

Those days are gone. We either accept the changes or stop being fans and most of us aren't willing to go that far.

Derek Pyda is a staff writer for the Butler Eagle