September may seem like an eternity away for anyone who is a football enthusiast, but the good news is that the NFL Draft is here, plus there is always plenty of offseason news to keep fans engaged. As it turns out, Detroit Lions fans won’t have to wait until September to catch some playing action.
The NFL has made a major announcement that should make fans extra excited for the end of July to approach.
Detroit Lions Selected for Special Game
The Detroit Lions will welcome the Los Angeles Chargers for the 2025 Hall of Fame Game, presented by Novartis, at 8 p.m. Eastern time Thursday, July 31, in Canton, Ohio, as part of Enshrinement Week. Yes, that means Michigan Wolverine fans will watch their former coach, the Jim Harbaugh, back in Michigan, but this time, they will likely be rooting against Harbaugh. Michigan State fans are used to it.
The game is set for Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, which is adjacent to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The action will air on NBC and Peacock with Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, Melissa Stark and Terry McAulay doing on-air coverage.
Having Harbaugh back in town makes this game of even greater interest to Michiganders. But, the NFL also picked two of the strongest teams going into the 2025 season to offer what’s likely to be a thrilling game.
“This game features two teams that can be considered legitimate contenders to reach Super Bowl LX next February,” Jim Porter, president and CEO of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, said in a statement. “For them to face each other right out of the gate in Canton, Ohio, should create a dynamic opening to another spectacular NFL season.”
The game will mark the fourth Canton appearance for the Detroit Lions and the third for the Los Angeles Chargers. Neither team has played in the game since 1994.
Tickets for the 2025 Hall of Fame Game will be available to the general public starting at 10 a.m. ET Monday, April 28.
Detroit Lions NFL Draft Scenarios
Ahead of this game, of course, is the 2025 NFL Draft. It’s getting down to the wire for predictions from NFL experts and analysts, and Kyle Dvorchak of NBC Sports has released his final projection for the Lions.
Dvorchak believes the Lions will draft James Pearce Jr., EDGE, out of Tennessee. “The Lions need a foil for Aidan Hutchinson, who has done all of the heavy lifting for the team’s pass-rush since they drafted him in 2022,” he explained in an April 23 feature. “Pearce has an elite production profile with 17.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and a pick-six over the past two seasons.”
Meanwhile, Nate Tice and Charles McDonald of Yahoo Sports go with Shemar Stewart, Edge, from Texas A&M. “This is a dream scenario for both team and player,” they state. “Stewart needs to develop and would have the infrastructure to do so with the Lions and the depth they have up front. Stewart could eventually form a hellacious duo with Aidan Hutchinson off of the edge if the Lions can harness his gift.” Let the fun begin.
