Fans Eager for New NFL Season After Record Hall of Fame Game Viewership

Sports enthusiasts seem to be excited for the upcoming NFL season, especially after the surprising viewership numbers for the Hall of Fame preseason games held last week.

Remarkably, the figures rivaled those of the NBA playoffs.

The Hall of Fame game featuring the Los Angeles Chargers and the Detroit Lions drew in 6.9 million viewers on NBC, a significant statistic cited from Nielsen’s data. This marked the highest viewership for the Hall of Fame game since 2021.

During the 2025 NBA playoffs, the average viewership across ABC and ESPN was about 6.13 million per game, which is a 10% increase from the previous year. This indicates a strong enthusiasm for the NFL, even when the games don’t carry weight in the standings.

Interestingly, in that game, it was Trey Lance, not the Chargers’ starter Justin Herbert, stepping in at quarterback after being tackled in Canton, Ohio last Thursday night.

Lance completed all 12 of his pass attempts for 120 yards and threw two touchdowns in a dominating 34-7 victory for the Chargers.

Expectations are that Lance will serve as Herbert’s backup this season, as head coach Jim Harbaugh gears up for a potential playoff run in 2024.

On the other hand, coach Dan Campbell and the Lions weren’t quite as productive as the score suggested. As is often the case, their main starter, Jared Goff, along with several others, didn’t participate in this game, leading to Kyle Allen starting in his place. Allen threw two interceptions, and the team faced some hiccups, including a mistimed punt return, indicating areas that need improvement.

Looking ahead, additional preseason games are on the schedule as all NFL teams prepare for their first matchups against each other this week. With the excitement in the air, who knows—perhaps even more fans will join in to watch these primetime events.