The Chargers have been selected for the NFL's annual Pro Football Hall of Fame game. While the teams selected don't always have direct ties to that year's HOF class, Chargers legend Antonio Gates' induction is likely directly responsible for LA's inclusion.
Los Angeles will face off against Detroit in Canton on July 31st, two days prior to August 2nd's HOF induction ceremony on Saturday.
Because of the Hall of Fame game, the Chargers will now play a total of four preseason contests. Aside from the HOF game, LA will have two road preseason games and one at home. Opponents will be announced later.
Chargers' 2025 schedule is taking shape (and it's busy)
It's certainly a demanding travel schedule for the Chargers. They will also host a home opener in Brazil for Week 1 of the regular season.
However, it's honestly a good resource to have the Hall of Fame game as an evaluation tool this year. With shortened preseasons, most NFL teams don't get to see a lot of game tape of their players that are buried further down the depth chart.
With 10 draft picks and an undrafted free agent class to bring into the fold over the next few days, it will be nice for the coaching staff to have as much tape as possible when it comes time to make cuts.
Considering how the Hall of Fame game normally goes, most (if not all) top line starters won't play. This will also give us an idea of who is at the top of the depth chart post-draft. The veteran players that wind up playing extensively in the HOF game could also give us an idea of which Chargers might be at risk of not making the team's final 53-man roster.
Four preseason games and 17 regular season matchups will be a loaded slate for the Chargers. But most importantly, the coaching staff and front office might have the most resources they've ever had to put together the optimal roster by the time Week 1 rolls around in September.