NFL Hall of Fame Game Preview: Football returns as two of the league’s more intriguing teams take the field in the NFL preseason opener

Spread the news, football is back! After almost six months, NFL action is set to return with the Hall of Fame Game, set to be played between the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Chargers, kicking off the league’s preseason proceedings. 

(Image Credit to Nic Antaya/Getty Images)

February 9th, 2025 was the day the Philadelphia Eagles annihilated the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 in Super Bowl 59, closing out the 2024 NFL season. 

Almost six months later, on July 31st, the lead-up to the 2025 NFL season will begin with the Hall of Fame Game, an annual celebration of the inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The contestants of this year’s game are the Detroit Lions and the Los Angeles Chargers. 

While it is a near certainty that neither team’s starters will see the field, there are still plenty of factors to analyse for each team heading into this game. 

Last season, the Detroit Lions finished the regular season with a 15-2 record, good enough for the one-seed in the NFC and a bye to the Divisional Round of the playoffs. Unfortunately, they would lose in the Divisional Round to the Washington Commanders.

For the Los Angeles Chargers, an 11-6 record was good enough for the fifth seed in the AFC and a loss in the Wild Card Round to the Houston Texans.  

In terms of the preseason records of the two head coaches, Jim Harbaugh, the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, has an 11-8 all-time win-loss record in the preseason. On the other hand, Dan Campbell, the Detroit Lions’ head coach, has a 5-7 all-time record in the preseason.

For the game itself, we probably won’t see the likes of Lions quarterback Jared Goff suit up for this game. Instead, many of the backups and practice squad players will get their chance to shine on the NFL field. 

Regarding a prediction for the Hall of Fame game, like other preseason contests, this could realistically go either way. The physicality observed in the Lions’ training camp could potentially translate to a more physical style of play being trialled in the preseason. However, that should be considered alongside the fact that Detroit is bringing in brand-new offensive and defensive coordinators after Ben Johnson, the former Lions offensive coordinator, left to coach the Chicago Bears and Aaron Glenn, the former defensive coordinator, left for the New York Jets. 

Conversely, Los Angeles is coming into the new season with familiarity at all coaching positions following last year’s overhaul. With Detroit potentially adjusting to new schemes, I’m going to back the Chargers to get the win in the Hall of Fame game and to kick off their preseason on a high. 

The pick: Chargers 20, Lions 13

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Article written by Noah Guttman