The Detroit Lions had an unusual approach for the opening kickoff of the Hall of Fame Game against the Los Angeles Chargers.
After giving him kick-return reps in practice during training camp, the Lions decided to put linebacker Grant Stuard back for the opening kickoff on Thursday night.
However, the plan backfired spectacularly, as Stuard fumbled the kickoff, giving possession to the Chargers before Detroit's offense could take the field.
And we’re off! pic.twitter.com/aKrMFw03PR
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 1, 2025
Stuard, who signed with the Lions in free agency this offseason, has spent his career playing on the other side of kickoffs. It looks like he won't be making a change when the regular season begins.
The Lions utilized six different players for kickoffs in 2024, while wide receiver Kalif Raymond handled 30 of the 37 returned punts.
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