The NFL Hall of Fame Game didn’t disappoint, for once
The NFL Hall of Fame Game didn’t disappoint, for once
Yes, the game is always a fun novelty, but this year it managed to be something more — for a half, anyway.
I’ve never made a secret of the fact that I’m not so crazy about summer. It’s too hot, the days are too long, and the bugs are absolutely voracious. August is undoubtedly the peak of summer, and while autumn is growing tantalizingly close, we must endure another few weeks of vicious heat before it comes.
Each August, I cling to preseason football as a sign that fall really is coming. It’s never good, per se, but it’s still hope. The NFL’s annual Hall of Fame Game is the league’s first preseason game, and this year’s contest featured a tilt between the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals on Thursday, Aug. 6 on NBC and Peacock. Desperate for just a few moments in the sweet oasis of football amidst a scorching summer, I tuned in, expecting little. The result was actually my favorite stream of the week.
First off, I want to give a special thanks to the weather gods for not sending a lightning storm over the greater Canton area around kick-off time. The Hall of Fame Game typically takes place in the early days of August, and being high summer, storms that delay the game’s kickoff for an interminable amount of time are common. The game itself is something of a farce to begin with; don’t rob me of my dignity further by making me wait longer for it.
Those harsh words are no reflection on the players who are trying their hardest to make their NFL dreams come true by showing something in the Hall of Fame Game. But the teams playing in the game have one more preseason game than the rest of the league, leading coaches to invariably keep back their starters and to play their second-stringers for only a limited time. Usually, the resulting quality of football played leads me to turn off the Hall of Fame Game after a series or two, my thirst for football temporarily quenched.
But Thursday was different, thanks in large part to Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Beck, a third-round pick from the 2026 draft. Beck came in slinging it, making tight-window throws and forcing me to keep watching far past the point I was planning to stop watching at.
To be sure, there were still some sloppy plays, silly fumbles, and the general kind of nonsense that accompanies the first preseason game of the year. None of this is to suggest that the Hall of Fame Game is must-see TV for anyone. In fact, no one but a football sicko like me or a fan of one of the teams playing should watch the game at all.
But looking back at ratings for past Hall of Fame Games, I can see that I’m not alone in turning on the game just to get a taste of football. Last year’s contest drew nearly 7 million viewers — slightly fewer viewers than the 2025 MLB All-Star Game drew on Fox. Whatever the future may hold for NFL TV negotiations, it’s clear the league still knows how to captivate an audience, even with its most meaningless live games.
I started the week highly excited about the return of “Ted Lasso,” and none of the above is to say that I didn’t enjoy the show’s Season 4 premiere — I did. But the Hall of Fame Game was a surprise for me as my favorite stream of the week, and I can’t wait for the rest of the league to jump into preseason action next week. Viewers will find their local teams’ preseason games on ABC, CBS, Fox, or NBC affiliates, with some games airing nationally on ESPN and NFL Network. Viewers can stream games with [live TV streamers] like DIRECTV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, and YouTube TV.
Peacock
Peacock is a subscription video streaming service from NBCUniversal that includes original shows, blockbuster movies, and classic television series. Peacock is home to “Yellowstone,” “The Office,” and original hits like “Poker Face” and “Bel-Air.” You can also watch live sports and NBC programming, including the NFL, MLB, WWE, the Olympics, the Premier League, NASCAR, the French Open, college football and basketball, and the PGA Tour. Premium Plus subscribers can stream their local NBC feed in all 210 markets.