The Detroit Lions kicked off their 2025 preseason with a thud — and a quarterback controversy that’s back in full force.

In Thursday night’s 34-7 blowout loss to the Los Angeles Chargers at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, both backup quarterbacks — Kyle Allen and Hendon Hooker — missed golden opportunities to solidify their roles. Instead, they opened the door to fresh doubts and old frustrations.

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Up and down,” was how Dan Campbell, Lions head coach, described the night for both quarterbacks.

Allen shows flashes — and flaws

Let’s start with Kyle Allen, the veteran backup who was given a shot to lead the second-team offense. Allen looked poised early, completing some sharp throws and moving the chains. But just as quickly, he derailed his own progress — tossing two costly interceptions that led to Chargers points.

Allen’s first interception came late in the first quarter, when he tried to find Tom Kennedy on an out route. The ball sailed inside — exactly where it shouldn’t — and Chargers corner Nikko Reed pounced, returning it to the Lions’ 6-yard line. Two plays later, Los Angeles scored a rushing touchdown.

I left it a little inside,” Allen admitted postgame. “On that route, you just can’t leave it inside.

After connecting with rookie receiver Isaac TeSlaa for 24 and 22 yards on back-to-back throws, Allen attempted to go back to the well, throwing a fade toward TeSlaa again — but Chargers safety Tony Jefferson was waiting. Another turnover.

Allen’s final line: 9-of-14 passing for 91 yards and 2 interceptions.

Coach Campbell acknowledged the positive moments but emphasized the damage:

The hard thing is Kyle had two bad plays, but those are two turnovers. He ran the offense, did a lot of good things — but it’s hard when those are the two.

Hooker’s quiet night raises louder questions

While Allen faltered, Hendon Hooker failed to make much noise at all.

The 2023 third-round pick out of Tennessee saw action in the second half, with the Lions already trailing 21-7. Despite avoiding any glaring mistakes, Hooker also didn’t make enough of an impact. He finished with just 18 yards on 3-of-6 passing, took two sacks, and threw an interception on a desperate fourth-down heave to rookie Dominic Lovett — sealing the night.

To his credit, Hooker impressed Campbell with his pre-snap recognition.

He got to a couple of good checks for us. Saw the defense, audibled on his own — that was outstanding,” Campbell said. “But he was up and down too.

More questions than answers

For Lions fans, the backup quarterback position has been a sore spot for years — one briefly masked by Teddy Bridgewater’s reliable stint in 2023. With Jared Goff firmly entrenched as the starter, the franchise still needs a trusted second option.

Thursday night’s performance felt like déjà vu.

Hooker’s rust is understandable; he’s still recovering from limited reps his first two seasons. Allen, however, was expected to bring consistency — not create new problems.

There are 38 days until the Lions’ season opener, and the silver lining is that three preseason games remain. But time is ticking.

Every player on the field had an opportunity to improve their chances — and very few did,” Campbell said, disappointed by the team’s overall urgency.

The few bright spots

Despite the QB woes, there were glimmers of hope elsewhere. Isaac TeSlaa looked explosive, cornerback Rock Ya-Sin showed his veteran savvy, and edge defender Ahmed Hassanein continued to build on a strong camp.

All three are considered safe heading into roster cuts, but Thursday’s game served as a reality check for the bubble players — and especially for Allen and Hooker.

What’s next?

The Lions now return to Allen Park with plenty of film to review — and even more to fix. The coaching staff will closely monitor how both backup QBs respond to this early adversity.

Whether it’s Allen rebounding from turnovers or Hooker turning recognition into production, the backup QB race is wide open — and very much under a microscope.