After a long five-month wait, NFL football is officially back tonight. The 2025 NFL preseason is set to kick off tonight as the Detroit Lions face off against the Los Angeles Chargers in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio.
Sure it's preseason, but it is enough to have NFL fans excited for the next few months of football.
What is the NFL Hall of Fame Game?
The NFL Hall of Fame game has been played every year to open the preseason since 1962. The game is used for the induction ceremony for each year's new NFL Hall of Fame members.
This year's Hall of Fame inductees include former Chargers tight end Antonio Gates, cornerback Eric Allen, pass rusher Jared Allen, and legendary Green Bay Packers wide receiver Sterling Sharpe.
What time does the NFL Hall of Fame Game start?
The 2025 NFL Hall of Fame game is set to kick off at 8:00 p.m. ET, live from Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.
How to watch/live stream the Lions vs. Chargers NFL Hall of Fame Game
The game will be broadcast live on NBC, so it will be nationally televised.
The game can also be streamed on Peacock, NBC's streaming service. It does require a subscription, which costs $10.99 a month. The NBC Sunday Night Football crew, featuring Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, and Melissa Stark, is back for another season and will be working tonight's telecast of the game.
Lions vs Chargers NFL Hall of Fame Game preview
This year's Hall of Fame Game participants, the Lions and Chargers, both come into the matchup as playoff teams from last season.
The Lions finished the 2024 regular season with a second straight NFC North Division title and a 15-2 overall record. The Lions' Super Bowl dreams were crushed in the NFC Divisional Round 45-31 loss at home to the Washington Commanders.
The Chargers enter year two of head coach Jim Harbaugh leading the charge. In Harbaugh's first year back in the NFL, the Chargers finished second in the AFC West with an 11-6 record before falling to the Houston Texans 32-12 in the Wild Card Round.
Both teams enter the 2025 season with high expectations. While no starters will play in the game, it'll be exciting to watch the teams' rookies and second units see action on the field.