It’s the final weekend of NFL preseason play, and the Eagles’ Jalen Hurts didn’t suit up Thursday night against the Colts. He didn’t play at all in the team’s three preseason games, and the focus was on the team’s backup quarterbacks.

What was the main reason? Likely to avoid an injury.

Over the past few seasons, the final preseason game meant the last call for the final spots on the 53-man roster. However, this year the format has changed. Most of the regulars on teams will play the first quarter of their games this weekend before they have a two-week hiatus before the season-opening weekend.

Over the years, there have been some major losses to injuries before the start of the NFL season.

In this week’s version of my Yesterday column - reminiscing about sports and pop culture in the 1960s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and sometimes beyond - I will look back at some of the big-name players who were injured before the start of their seasons. Also, I’ll look back at some previously popular pop-culture trends, as well as some interesting topics.

Did you go to Herman’s? And do you remember the Continental Football League? Who was Moses Hightower? Were you hitchin’ a ride?

That Infamous Injury ... Back in an August exhibition game in 1978, the football world was rocked when New England’s Darryl Stingley became a paraplegic after he took a vicious hit from Oakland’s (doesn’t it feel better to say Oakland?) Jack Tatum after he caught a slant. Tatum’s hit was legal, and Stingley suffered a broken neck.

At age 26, Stingley would be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of this life. He tragically passed away due to complications as a result of his condition in 2007 at the age of 55.

Big, Bad Bubba ... In the mid-1960s and early 70s, Charles Aaron “Bubba” Smith was a force due to his height (6-7) and his relatively big size (270) back then. Smith’s heydays were with the Colts, and he had a career-high 10.5 sacks during the 1968 season.

But in August 1972, Smith suffered a debilitating knee injury in a preseason game, and never was the same. He missed the entire season, and found himself with Oakland in the 1973 and 1974 seasons, before ending his career with a pair of seasons in Houston (1975 and 1976).

By the way, Smith also was highly recognized for his role of Moses Hightower in the “Police Academy” movies, as well as and the Miller Lite commercials.

Season Enders ... Some of the other more recognizable season-ending injuries belonged to Dallas’ Tony Romo, who broke a bone in his back in 2016; Giants’ Jason Seahorn, who suffered a torn ACL and MCL in an August game in 1998; Atlanta’s Michal Vick, who suffered a broken fibula in 2003; Houston’s Harry Williams, who injured his C3 vertebrae in 2008; and ex-Penn Stater Ki-Jana Carter, who tore his ACL in 1995.

In 2013, Eagles’ wide receiver Jeremy Maclin tore his ACL in his first practice.

A Fallen Chief ... In 1963, the Chiefs drafted Stone Johnson - who was a world class sprinter - as a wide receiver. Johnson injured his neck and required surgery. Tragically, Johnson passed away eight days later at the age of 23. The Chiefs have unofficially retired his number 33.

Hitching A Ride ... When I was recently driving along a major road, I saw a hitchhiker. Now, how many times have you seen a hitchhiker these days? It just gave me a flashback.

It was quite a popular occurrence during the 1960s through the 90s (maybe?). I have picked up a couple over the years, but safety issues have truly curbed the act.

By the way, the group Vanity Fair made the song “Hitchin’ A Ride” popular in 1969.

It Wasn’t Munster ... Anytime you went to the Lehigh Valley Mall in the late 70s, 80s, and the beginning of the 90s, you had to make a stop at Herman’s Sporting Goods. In their its prime, Herman’s had all of the latest apparel and equipment.

But they declared for bankruptcy in 1993, citing the competition from Modell’s and Sports Authority. Ironically, both those chains are now gone, too.

In Your Neighborhood ... Remember the days of the old sporting goods stores? Growing up in Nazareth, there was Nazareth Sporting Goods, which was prominent in its day, and had the wooden floors that gave out that smell when you entered them. If you went to the “city,” you had to check out Witwer-Jones in Allentown.

Sports Editor Emmett McCall noted that P&B Sporting Goods in Tamaqua was a familiar stop in the 1960s and 70s. He also mentioned Shea’s in Palmerton, and Valley Athletic in Lansford during the 1980s and 90s.

Groceries and Dinner ... Back in the day, Laneco was a precursor to Walmart. They had groceries, clothing, and just about everything else you needed. Some of them even had car services.

There also have been some steakhouses that have gone by the wayside. I remember Rustler Steakhouses, which initially was owned by the hamburger chain Geno’s. In the Lehigh Valley, there was Steak and Ale, which was a date night restaurant, and Beefsteak Charlie’s, a basic New York-based restaurant that featured an ad with a waiter with a winger Rollie Fingers-type moustache.

Another Classic Game ... One of the true lost games from the 1970s was Kenner’s See Action Football. It debuted in 1973 and was seen as another “state-of-the-art-game.”

In this game, each player chose a slide, and one player set the randomizing knob on the game’s slide projector. They then viewed two overlaid slides that produced an image of the play in progress and moved them through until a yardage/penalty result showed up at the bottom of the screen.

The 1973 edition didn’t have any official ties with the NFL. It provided 25 team markers, but only had one marker for New York. A later version featured O.J. Simpson on the cover.

Yeah, That League ... Does anyone remember the Continental Football League? It had a very brief stay from 1965-69, and the Philadelphia entry was the Bulldogs. This was considered to be a minor league of football.

Other teams were based in Brooklyn, Hartford, Norfolk, Toronto, Charleston, Montreal, Orlando, Richmond, and Wheeling.

The Philly Bulldogs were in existence from 1966-67, and won the 1966 league championship. Former Temple head coach Wayne Harden guided the team, and former Eagles’ legendary running back Steve Van Buren was the offensive backfield coach.

Memory Lane ... Each week, I’ll look back at a former player, manager, coach or media personality from our yesterday. Do you remember Bobby Wine? He was a Phillies infielder for eight years from 1960-68, and then spent four years with the Montreal Expos until 1972. He was the starting shortstop for Montreal in the Vet opener in 1971.

Wine was also recognized as a longtime Phils’ coach until 1983 when he left the organization. He hit .216 in 731 games with the Phillies, and .213 in 433 games with the Expos. He later was a coach, interim manager, and advanced scout for the Braves.

Feedback ... Your thoughts, ideas, and comments are always welcomed at tnsports@tnonline.com