DeMarcus Ware will be at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium on Saturday, when he speaks at his enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2023

But the former Troy star also will be at the microphone at the Canton, Ohio, stadium on Thursday night, when he sings the national anthem before the NFL’s annual Hall of Fame Game.

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“Before I even get up there and speak about myself, it’s an added pressure,” Ware told the Dallas Morning News. “I feel really good about both. The emotions are going to be really high for two days. This right here, I wasn’t even this nervous during the Super Bowl. This is the most nervous that I have ever been in my life, and I haven’t even gotten there yet. …

“You can never be ready for that. There’s ways you can prepare for it and have ample amount of vocal lessons. But when you get up there and when the crowd goes silent, it’s your turn to get up there and sing to the whole United States of America on what it stands for. And that is huge.”

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An Auburn High School alumnus, Ware rose at Troy from a recruiting afterthought to the 11th selection in the 2005 NFL Draft.

In nine seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and three with the Denver Broncos, Ware earned Pro Bowl recognition nine times and first-team All-Pro selection four times.

Since 1982, when sacks became an official statistic, the former outside linebacker has the ninth-most in the NFL with 138.5.

The Cleveland Browns and the New York Jets will square off in the Hall of Fame Game at 7 p.m. Thursday in Canton. NBC will televise the game.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.