NFL Preseason Getting Earliest Kickoff in 25 Years

Football is back, as the NFL preseason gets its earliest start in 25 years Thursday night.

The Lions and Chargers face off in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, which was last played during July back in 2000.

It kicks off a celebratory weekend in Canton, Ohio, which will see the smallest class since 2005—only four players—be inducted into the HOF: Antonio Gates, Jared Allen, Sterling Sharpe, and Eric Allen.

While most players taking the field at the 23,000-seat Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium on Thursday likely will not be on any Week 1 rosters, the annual preseason opener has continued to draw strong TV ratings in recent years.

• 2024: 5.2 million (Texans-Bears, ESPN/ABC)
• 2023: 6 million (Jets-Browns, NBC)
• 2022: 5.7 million (Jaguars-Raiders, NBC)
• 2021: 7 million (Steelers-Cowboys, Fox)

For comparison, the most recent NBA season averaged 1.53 million viewers per game across all national networks, and this month’s MLB All-Star Game drew 7.2 million viewers on Fox. NBC will broadcast the Lions-Chargers.

Game Time

The HOF game hasn’t been without its own challenges the past decade, though.

The game has been canceled twice—in 2016 due to poor field conditions, and in 2020 when the entire NFL preseason wasn’t played amid the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Last year’s game was cut short in the third quarter after inclement weather caused a delay and eventual permanent stoppage of play.

Under Construction

On Thursday, the HOF announced plans for a new building, the KeyBank Center, that will open in 2027 and host enshrinement events each summer. 

Last February, the HOF revealed separate plans for $80 million worth of renovations as part of a multiyear project.