NFL teams have been getting increasingly creative with their schedule announcements, using everything from memes to parodies to celebrity cameos. For 2026, the Los Angeles Chargers have taken a different approach by turning to the iconic video game franchise Halo to reveal their upcoming opponents.
The team released a six-minute video that, as noted in the introduction, was made with permission from Microsoft and doesn't include any actual gameplay footage. Instead, it mimics a Halo multiplayer lobby screen, listing each week's opponent as if it were a multiplayer map. They even enlisted Jeff Steitzer (or a very convincing soundalike), the voice of Halo's multiplayer announcer, to deliver weekly callouts. For example, Week 4's matchup against the Seahawks is introduced with "Beast Mode" over a faux Pike Place Market level. The video is packed with NFL and pop-culture references, including a subtle nod to the scandal currently surrounding Week 12 opponent New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel.
Meanwhile, Halo itself will be making a return this year with Halo: Campaign Evolved, an Unreal Engine 5 remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved's campaign. A release date is expected at the upcoming Xbox Showcase. In the meantime, check out our hands-on preview impressions.
