Chargers, Lions Hall of Fame Game matchup earns historic ratings for preseason opener

The Los Angeles Chargers and Detroit Lions kicked off the NFL preseason slate of the schedule at the Hall of Fame Game last Thursday night.

It may just be preseason, but it didn't stop NFL sickos from checking in on the first game of the NFL season.

According to the Sports Business Journal, the 2025 Hall of Fame game pulled in historic ratings with its 6.9 million viewers.

The 6.9 million viewers is the most the Hall of Fame Game has seen since 2021, when the Dallas Cowboys met the Pittsburgh Steelers in front of an audience that drew 7.1 million.

"NBC drew 6.9 million viewers for Chargers-Lions on Thursday night, marking the best Pro Football HOF Game since Cowboys-Steelers, when Fox drew 7.31 million. The game on Thursday peaked at 7.8 million viewers from 9:00-9:15pm ET during the second quarter. Chargers-Lions is well above the 4.93 million that ABC/ESPN drew last year for Bears-Texans, but that game was halted in the third quarter due to rain. Two years ago, NBC drew 6.3 million for Jets-Browns," writes Austin Karp of SBJ.

It really doesn't matter who is on the field for any given game in the NFL, the craving for the sport continues to reach new heights.