Football fans rejoice: the 2025 NFL Season is right around the corner. The league year officially kicks off with the Hall of Fame Game between the Detroit Lions and the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday, July 31st at 8 pm ET.
From channel and schedule information to the 2025 inductees and beyond, this post will give you all the information you need to watch the upcoming NFL Hall of Fame game live.
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When is the 2025 NFL Hall of Fame game?
How to watch the 2025 NFL Hall of Fame Game?
NFL fans can tune in live to NBC and Peacock to watch the Hall of Fame Game. Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, Melissa Stark and Terry McAulay will be back in the press box as NBC’s coverage team for this game, as well as for games on NBC during the NFL’s 106th season.
What is the NFL Hall of Fame Game?
The NFL Hall of Fame game is an annual preseason game hosted at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. It’s part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Induction ceremony in Canton, OH. This game has served as the official kickoff to both the preseason and the NFL season since 1962.
Who is playing in the NFL Hall of Fame Game?
This year’s Pro Football Hall of Fame Game will feature the Detroit Lions serving as host to the Los Angeles Chargers. Each team comes into the 2025 season with Super Bowl aspirations after reaching the playoffs a year ago.
Detroit Lions
Detroit’s offseason was marked by notable departures in leadership. Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson accepted a head coaching job with the Chicago Bears while defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn took on the head coach role for the New York Jets.
Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow, who played his entire career with the Lions, announced his retirement in June. Apart from him, however, much of the core roster is the same.
A defense plagued by injuries a year ago was bolstered via the draft and free agency and is headlined by the return of Pro Bowl defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. Head coach Dan Campbell will aim to ease the loss of his key coaches and remain atop a competitive NFC North.
Los Angeles Chargers
Coach Jim Harbaugh, in his second year with the team, will look to build upon a successful first season that saw his defense rise to one of the league’s best.
The Chargers offense, with one of the best lines in the league, come into the 2025 season with a new backfield. Free agent signing Najee Harris is joined by rookie first-round pick Omarion Hampton.
Harbaugh hopes the pair will create a formidable run game to open things up for quarterback Justin Herbert, last year’s rookie sensation Ladd McConkey and the rest of the Chargers receiving core.
Los Angeles is also in for some stiff divisional competition. The Kansas City Chiefs are fresh off another (albeit disappointing) Super Bowl appearance.
Rounding out the division are one of last year’s biggest surprises in the Denver Broncos and a Las Vegas Raiders team with a new coach in Pete Carroll, new quarterback in Geno Smith and potential new face of the franchise in rookie Ashton Jeanty.
Who is being inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame?
The 2025 NFL Hall of Fame class includes playmakers on both sides of the ball. This year’s class features:
- Eric Allen
- Jared Allen
- Antonio Gates
- Sterling Sharpe
Eric Allen
A certified ball-hawk, Allen finally gets into the Hall of Fame after a 19-year wait. A second-round draft pick out of Arizona State, Allen spent the first seven years of his career with the Philadelphia Eagles.
A six-time pro-bowler and one-time first-time All-Pro, Allen’s career year came in 1993. He finished eighth in the Defensive Player of the Year voting after logging a career-high four pick-sixes, three forced fumbles and two sacks.
He remains the only player in league history with at least three interceptions returned for touchdowns in two separate seasons.
Jared Allen
Jared Allen, the enigmatic All-Pro defensive end, is also headed to the Hall of Fame. His sack celebrations, strong stache and wild hairdos made him one of the league’s most exciting personalities. Not to mention, Allen was one of the league’s most prolific pass rushers for nearly a decade.
He began his career in Kansas City. After an NFL-best 15.5 sack, 19 tackle-for-loss in 2007, he was traded to the Vikings for what was at the time the largest contract for a defensive player.
He responded by tallying at least 11 sacks in each of his six seasons in Minnesota. He finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2011 after recording 22 sacks, the second most in NFL history. Allen finishes his career 12th all-time in sacks and is tied for the most safeties (4) in NFL history.
Antonio Gates
Antonio Gates, a three-time All-Pro tight end, established himself as one of the league’s best red zone targets and one of the premier athletes at the tight end position.
He overpowered defensive backs and sped by linebackers, and his eight seasons with at least eight receiving touchdowns are the most among tight ends in NFL history. He’s the Chargers all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.
Sterling Sharpe
Sterling Sharpe’s seven-year career saw three First-Team All-Pro selections and five Pro Bowl selections. He led the league in receptions three times in seven seasons. In 1992 he won the receiving triple crown for leading the league in catches, receiving yards and touchdowns.
A neck injury in 1994 prematurely ended his career — and yet, he still managed to end that season with a league-high 18 touchdowns.
He is the second member of his family to make it to the Hall of Fame. His brother Shannon, a tight end for the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens, was inducted in 2011. In his induction speech, Shannon addressed Sterling.
“My big brother Sterling, I am the only player of 267 men that’s walked through this building to my left that can honestly say this – I am the only pro football player that’s in the Hall of Fame and I am the second-best player in my own family.”
Big brother is finally in the Hall.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What TV channel is the Hall of Fame Game on?
Fans can watch the NFL Hall of Fame Game live on NBC and streaming live on Peacock.
Is the NFL Hall of Fame Game a real game?
The Hall of Fame Game is an exhibition preseason game to kick off the NFL preseason. While it is an official part of the preseason, the game has no bearing on regular season standings.
Who is being inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2025?
The 2025 NFL Hall of Fame class features: Eric Allen, Jared Allen, Antonio Gates, Sterling Sharpe
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