NFL fans mercilessly slam troop's 'terrible' national anthem before Chargers-Lions preseason opener

Football fans mercilessly branded an American troop's rendition of the national anthem 'terrible' prior to the first NFL preseason game of the year on Thursday.

Before the Los Angeles Chargers and Detroit Lions contested the 2025 Hall of Fame Game, Staff Sergeant Ken Bettinger of the Ohio National Guard sang the Star Spangled Banner to fans at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.

Yet the performance failed to impress NFL viewers who quickly took to social media to criticize his vocals.

'My man just sang the national anthem in like 4 different keys in the Hall Of Fame Game. That’s usually talent, but I think… not so much this time,' one user wrote on X.

Another commented: 'Love the troops, but damn that was a terrible national anthem'.

'This guy singing the national anthem is not a good singer,' a third brutally concluded.

'Whoever is singing the national anthem doesn’t need to do that again lmao,' said a fourth.

While one even claimed: 'no troll this [is] one of the worst National Anthem’s I’ve ever heard'.

More to follow.