Football is officially back.
Although training camp has only really just begun ramping up, the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game is the kicker that marks the beginning of a new NFL season.
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Every year the Pro Football Hall of Fame kicks off the NFL seasonCredit: Getty
This year, the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Chargers met in Canton, Ohio in what was just the first time in 25 years that the match-up occurred in the month of July.
And it was the Justin Herbert-less Chargers who came out on top with a blowout 34-7 victory.
This game presented an opportunity for the two chosen teams to get a more in-depth insight to their roster options, especially among those players who are considered lower down in the depth chart, as well as test out some new rule changes.
While Chargers quarterback Trey Lance starred in the fiery contest that had all the components of a regular season game, one of the big talking points of the game was not about the game itself, but about the broadcast booth.
Cris Collinsworth gets roasted for Hall of Fame game commentary
Cris Collinsworth certainly made his voice heard, but among fans, he is not exactly universally loved.
The Sunday Night Football analyst has such enthusiasm when calling games, and shares his plethora of highly in-depth knowledge of football.
Despite this, Collinsworth has always found a way to be one of the most debated people on air.
Formerly a Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver, in which he was given three Pro Bowl nods, Collinsworth can also add multiple-Emmy winner to his resume, having won 18 Sports Emmy awards, the latest of which came in May 2025.
However, that doesn’t make him a fan-favorite. In fact, fans were already sharing their displeasure that he was on the call in the booth for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
With Chargers kicker Cameron Dicker lining up to kick a field goal, the 66-year-old spoke about LA’s offensive approach for next season, saying: “The Chargers are going to be one of those teams that just kind of grinds on you.”
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Collinsworth is a contentious character in the broadcasting boothCredit: Getty
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Chargers quarterback Trey Lance impressed against the Lions in the Hall of Fame gameCredit: Getty
Reaction from fans, as expected, was not entirely positive.
“In my entire life, I’ve listened to A LOT of commentators. Cris Collinsworth’s skills as a commentator are the worst I’ve seen from someone who gets primetime games (in any sport) consistently,” one fan declared on social media. “It’s legit bad.”
“To some of us, this is a preseason warm-up for Cris Collinsworth’s tolerance,” another fan posted.
“Nothing says football is back like seeing 8 tweets in a row bashing Cris Collinsworth,” a third wrote.
But the most viral tweet of the night really encapsulated how Collinsworth’s work divides the football world:
“The Good: NFL Football is back! The Great: Getting to listen to Mike Tirico on the first game of the season! The Ugly: Being forced to listen to Cris Collinsworth on the first game of the season.”
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Lance, Chargers impress in blowout win
As it pertains to the game itself, Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh had a very good look at his running back room, including Kimani Vidal, who put on a powerful showing, rushing for a team-high 37 yards and two touchdowns.
Harbaugh also took a glimpse of first-round draft pick Omarion Hampton, who logged a pair of carries for nine yards.
Expected to play a run-heavy game next season, it was no surprise that every member of the RB room got touches, but there was also a good showing for Herbert’s back-up quarterback, Lance.
Chargers fans loving what Jim Harbaugh did to Trey Lance after QB’s stellar Hall of Fame game performance
The 2021 NFL Draft third overall pick had a composed showing – that impressed his head coach – in which he completed 13 of his 20 pass attempts for 120 yards and two touchdowns.
On the other side of the ball, there could be some concern for Lions head coach Dan Campbell in the off-chance that Jared Goff misses time at any point in the 2025 campaign.
With Kyle Allen and Hendon Hooker battling for the QB2 role behind the four-time Pro Bowler, neither could really move the ball down the field into scoring positions, with Detroit’s lone score coming from Craig Reynolds.
Allen went 9-for-14 for 91 yards and two interceptions, while Hooker threw 50 percent of his six passing attempts for a total of 18 yards, and also had an interception.
It’s very easy to over-analyse a game like this, however, it is only pre-season, and so everything that was put on display should be taken with a grain of salt.
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