Why isn’t Lions DT Levi Onwuzurike playing against the Chargers in the 2025 Hall of Fame Game?

It‘s been a difficult start to the preseason for the Detroit Lions. Dan Campbell’s men had barely been back for training camp when the injuries started to pile up.

The first to enter the sickbay was defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike, who underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL. The 27-year-old is expected to miss the whole of the 2025 NFL season.

Head coach Dan Campbell delivered the bad news just before the team’s first training camp practice of the summer. “Let me start with Levi. Levi is out for the year. Levi’s surgery it was significant, but it needed to be done. Out of his control and it needed to be done so he will miss the season,” Campbell told reporters, adding, “You don’t like to lose anybody. Certainly, losing Levi, that hurts, but it helps that we’ve got [first-round pick] Tyleik [Williams], so we’ve got a little bit of balance here.”

Onwuzurike played 16 games last season, racking up 13 QB hits, 28 tackles, 1.5 sacks and one tackle for loss.

Elsewhere, linebacker Alex Anzalone is out with a hamstring injury, Sione Vaki is dealing with a similar issue and Taylor Decker is ruled out with a shoulder injury.

Campbell has yet to name his lineup for the game but most of his starters won’t be suiting up in Ohio. QB Hendon Hooker, who made three appearances last year, is expected to start.

This will be the Lions’ fourth appearance at the Hall of Fame Game - after losing the first two (to the Redskins in 1965, then to the Broncos in 1976), they got their revenge, beating Denver in a rematch in 1991.

When is 2025 Hall of Fame Game?

The 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game between the Detroit Lions and the Los Angeles Chargers will be played at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio on Thursday, July 31. The game is scheduled to kick off at at 8 p.m. EDT.

Viewers in the United States can follow the action on NBC, play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico will be joined by Cris Collinsworth and Melissa Stark.

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