The turkey is a carcass. The wrapping paper has been shredded into a colorful, static-cling mess on the living room rug. Grandpa is asleep in the recliner with a plate of half-eaten ham on his lap. Ten years ago, this was the moment you’d flip on the TV to find a grainy basketball game or maybe a 24-hour marathon of A Christmas Story. But things changed. Christmas day football games are now the undisputed heavyweight champion of holiday media consumption. It wasn't always a sure thing, though. For decades, the NFL treated December 25th like a radioactive date they didn't want to touch. Now? It's a ratings juggernaut that makes the NBA look like a local high school scrimmage by comparison.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and the league's broadcast partners realized something simple. People love their families, sure, but they love watching massive humans collide on a gridiron even more. It's the ultimate escape from awkward small talk with your brother-in-law.
The Weird History of Christmas Day Football Games
You might think the league has always owned this day. Nope. Not even close. Back in 1971, the NFL scheduled a couple of playoff games on Christmas. One of them turned into the longest game in NFL history—a double-overtime marathon between the Miami Dolphins and the Kansas City Chiefs. It lasted over 82 minutes of game time. You'd think that would be a marketing dream, right? Wrong. The league got buried in complaints. Fans were furious that football was "interfering" with the religious holiday and family dinners. It was such a PR disaster that the NFL basically went into hiding on Christmas for nearly two decades.
They ceded the ground to the NBA. For years, the hardwood was the only place for holiday sports. But the lure of TV revenue is a powerful drug. By the late 80s, the NFL started dipping its toes back into the water. Slowly. Very slowly. They started with late afternoon or night games, trying to stay out of the way of church services and morning gift exchanges.
Fast forward to 2023. The NFL scheduled a triple-header. The Raiders beat the Chiefs in a shocker, the Eagles squeezed past the Giants, and the Ravens absolutely dismantled the 49ers. The ratings were staggering. We're talking nearly 30 million viewers on average. To put that in perspective, a "massive" NBA Christmas game might pull in 5 or 6 million. The NFL didn't just join the holiday tradition; they hijacked it and drove it off into the sunset.
Why the Schedule Always Feels a Little Chaotic
Planning the Christmas day football games is a logistical nightmare for the league’s schedule makers. Why? Because the day of the week changes every year. When Christmas falls on a Sunday, it’s easy—it’s just a normal football day. But when it hits a Tuesday or Wednesday? That’s where things get weird.
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In 2024, the NFL did something they previously said they wouldn't do: they played on a Wednesday. To make it work, they had to treat it like a "short week" scenario similar to Thursday Night Football. The teams playing on Wednesday had to play the previous Saturday. It's a grueling physical demand on the players.
- Player Safety Concerns: You can't just ignore the toll. Playing two games in five days is brutal on the joints.
- The Netflix Factor: In a massive shift for 2024 and beyond, Netflix paid a king's ransom (reportedly around $75 million per game) to stream these holiday matchups.
- Travel Grumbles: Imagine being a punter for the visiting team and having to tell your kids you’re flying out on Christmas Eve. It’s not a popular move in the locker rooms.
Honestly, the players hate the travel, but they love the exposure. Every player knows that a big performance on Christmas isn't just a win—it's a career-defining highlight that everyone in the country is watching because there is literally nothing else on.
Comparing the NFL to the NBA Holiday Monopoly
The NBA used to own this real estate. It was their "Opening Day" for the casual fan. But the NFL is a different beast entirely. Football is an event; basketball is a season. Because every single NFL game carries immense weight for the playoffs, the stakes are naturally higher.
Take the 2023 49ers vs. Ravens game. That wasn't just a holiday exhibition. It was a potential Super Bowl preview. The intensity was through the roof. When you compare that to a mid-season NBA game where the star player might be "managing his load" and sitting on the bench in a suit, it's easy to see why the TV networks are pivoting. The NFL guarantees eyeballs.
There's also the "passive viewing" element. Football is the perfect background noise for a party. You can look up, see a touchdown, yell, and then go back to eating a sugar cookie. Basketball requires a bit more focus on the flow of the game. The NFL fits the American holiday vibe—loud, expensive, and a little bit over-the-top.
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The Strategy Behind the Matchups
The league doesn't just pick names out of a hat for these slots. They want big markets. They want historic rivalries. Think Cowboys, Packers, Chiefs, and Steelers. You’re rarely going to see two bottom-dwellers from the AFC South playing on Christmas morning.
They also look for "narrative" games. They want Mahomes vs. Allen or Jackson vs. Stroud. They want storylines that the announcers can lean into between commercials for luxury SUVs and insurance.
Does the Home Team Actually Have an Advantage?
Data suggests the home-field advantage on Christmas is slightly different than a regular Sunday. The crowd is often a mix of die-hard season ticket holders and tourists who happened to be in town for the holidays. Sometimes, the energy is electric. Other times, it's a bit subdued because half the stadium is in a food coma. However, for the visiting team, the "us against the world" mentality is real. They are away from their families, stuck in a Marriott, eating hotel catering for Christmas dinner. That kind of chip on the shoulder can lead to some very aggressive, "grinch-like" defensive performances.
Real-World Impact on Fans and Traditions
For a lot of families, the Christmas day football games have replaced the traditional movie outing. It's become the "second meal" event. You eat at 2:00 PM, and the 4:30 PM kickoff is the signal to move to the couch.
But there’s a downside. Ticket prices for these games are astronomical. If you want to take a family of four to see the Chiefs on Christmas, you’re looking at a four-figure bill before you even buy a $15 beer. It’s turned the holiday into a corporate goldmine. Some fans love the spectacle; others miss when the day felt a little less commercialized.
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Also, consider the stadium workers. Security, concessions, janitorial staff—thousands of people are working 12-hour shifts on Christmas so we can watch a 3-yard run on second down. It’s a massive operation that often gets overlooked in the hype.
What to Expect Moving Forward
The NFL isn't going back. The genie is out of the bottle. Now that streaming giants like Netflix are involved, the "Christmas Day" brand is officially part of the NFL's global expansion strategy. We might even see a Christmas game in London or Germany eventually, though the time zone math makes my head hurt.
If you’re planning your holiday around the games, here is how to actually enjoy it without ruining the day:
- Sync the feast. Don't try to carve the turkey during a two-minute drill. Plan your main meal for halftime or between the early and late games.
- Check the platforms. Between CBS, FOX, NBC, and now Netflix, you need to make sure your logins actually work before the game starts. Nothing kills the holiday mood like a "Password Incorrect" screen while the kickoff is happening.
- Manage expectations. Holiday games are often sloppy. Cold weather, travel fatigue, and the pressure of the big stage can lead to more turnovers than usual. Don't bet the mortgage on a high-scoring shootout.
- Embrace the chaos. If your team loses, don't let it ruin the eggnog. It's just a game, even if it feels like the end of the world in the moment.
The NFL's takeover of December 25th is a masterclass in business. They took a day where they were once "unwelcome" and turned it into their highest-grossing regular-season window. Whether you love the pigskin or hate the intrusion, the Christmas day football games are the new North Star of the holiday season. Grab a plate, find a spot on the sofa, and get comfortable. The league isn't going anywhere.
Actionable Steps for the Next Holiday Season
- Audit your streaming services: Since the NFL is moving games to platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime, verify your subscriptions in early December.
- Set a "No-Spoiler" Zone: If you have to attend a religious service or family dinner during the game, turn off your phone notifications. Christmas games are notorious for being spoiled by a loud uncle shouting from the other room.
- Budget for Merchandise: If you're buying tickets or team gear as gifts, do it in November. Prices for "Holiday Edition" gear spike significantly as the 25th approaches.
- Plan Your "Double-Screen" Setup: With multiple games often overlapping or running back-to-back, ensure your living room is optimized for viewing without making the non-football fans in the house feel totally ignored. Use a tablet for the secondary game if you're outvoted on the big TV.