Bolts From The Blue
The Chargers will have the honor of playing in the Hall of Fame Game the same year in which former tight end Antonio Gates will be enshrined.
On Wednesday morning, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced that the Los Angeles Chargers and the Detroit Lions will open up the preseason by playing in the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio. The game is scheduled for Thursday, July 31 at 8:00 p.m. ET at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.
Earlier this offseason, former Chargers tight end Antonio Gates was selected as part of this year’s four man enshrinement class for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025. The other three members of the class include defensive end Jared Allen, wide receiver Sterling Sharpe, and defensive back Eric Allen. With Gates entering the hall, it doesn’t come as a surprise that they were picked to play in the annual event.
With this game scheduled, the Chargers and Lions will each have the chance to play four preseason games this summer as opposed to the normal three.
Gates is set to be honored on August 1 in Canton at the Enshrinees’ Gold Jacket Dinner and during the Class of 2025 Enshrinement ceremony on August 2. He becomes the 12th former coach or player for the Chargers to be selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, joining Dan Fouts, LaDainian Tomlinson, Kellen Winslow, Junior Seau, and Don Coryell.
