Christmas used to belong to the NBA. For decades, the script was basically set in stone: you open presents, eat some ham, and watch the Lakers or the Knicks while drifting into a food coma. But the NFL is a different beast entirely. It’s the ultimate attention vacuum, and lately, it has decided that December 25th is its own personal territory. Honestly, if you look at the TV ratings from the last few years, the Christmas Day NFL football games aren't just winning; they are absolutely obliterating everything else on the screen. It’s not even close anymore.
Think about 2023 for a second. We had a tripleheader that felt like a playoff gauntlet. The Raiders stunned the Chiefs in a game where Patrick Mahomes looked genuinely flustered, the Eagles survived a scare from the Giants, and the Ravens reminded everyone why Lamar Jackson was the MVP by dismantling the 49ers on the road. Those three games averaged nearly 30 million viewers. To put that in perspective, that’s better than almost every non-Super Bowl program on television. The NFL realized that people don't actually want to talk to their extended family for ten straight hours; they want an excuse to look at a scoreboard.
The Streaming Pivot: Enter the Netflix Era
Things just got weirdly expensive. In 2024, the league made a massive move by selling the exclusive rights for Christmas Day NFL football games to Netflix. This was a "line in the sand" moment. It’s a three-year deal, and it signals that the league is no longer tethered to traditional broadcast towers when it comes to holiday tentpoles.
Why Netflix? Money, obviously. But also reach.
Netflix wants to prove it can handle the technical load of millions of concurrent live streams after some... let’s call them "hiccups" during the Tom Brady roast and various live reunions. For the NFL, it's about globalizing the game. If you’re a fan in London or Tokyo, you might not have CBS, but you almost certainly have a Netflix login. The 2024 slate features the Chiefs taking on the Steelers and the Ravens facing the Texans. It’s a heavy-hitter lineup. The league isn't putting "filler" games on Christmas. They are putting Super Bowl contenders in the window because they know the audience is captive.
The Logistics Nightmare Nobody Talks About
We need to talk about the "Short Week" problem because it drives coaches absolutely insane. Normally, the NFL tries to avoid playing games on Wednesdays. It messes up the body's recovery cycle. It ruins the practice rhythm. But in 2024, Christmas falls on a Wednesday.
Did the NFL care? Not really.
💡 You might also like: Navy Notre Dame Football: Why This Rivalry Still Hits Different
The league decided that the revenue was too high to pass up, so they created a "Sunday-to-Wednesday" turnaround for the teams involved. To make it work, the four teams playing on Christmas also have to play the previous Saturday. It's a logistical jigsaw puzzle that requires players to basically live in the cold tub for two weeks straight. Roger Goodell has been vocal about player safety for years, but the Christmas Wednesday decision proved that when "The Shield" sees a chance to dominate a holiday, the schedule will be bent to the league's will.
I’ve talked to league insiders who say the preparation for these games starts months in advance. Equipment managers are losing sleep over the travel. Imagine trying to get a full NFL roster, coaching staff, and tons of gear into Pittsburgh or Houston on a day when every airport is a disaster zone. It’s a mess. But it’s a profitable mess.
Why We Can't Stop Watching
There is a specific vibe to Christmas Day NFL football games that you don't get on a random Sunday in October. It’s the stakes. By late December, the playoff picture is usually a chaotic blur. One loss on Christmas can be the difference between a first-round bye and watching the postseason from a couch in Cabo.
Take the 2023 Raiders vs. Chiefs game. Nobody expected Las Vegas to go into Arrowhead and bully the defending champs. But they did. They scored two defensive touchdowns in a matter of seconds. It was gritty, it was ugly, and it was perfect holiday entertainment. It reminded us that the NFL is fundamentally unpredictable. When you add the holiday atmosphere—the snow (if you're lucky), the festive gear, the desperation of the playoff hunt—it becomes a "can't miss" event.
History of the Holiday Gridiron
It wasn't always like this. For a long time, the NFL actually stayed away from Christmas. There was this weird cultural unwritten rule that Christmas was for family and church, and maybe a little basketball. The first time the NFL tried a Christmas playoff game was in 1971, and it turned into a double-overtime marathon between the Dolphins and the Chiefs. It remains the longest game in NFL history.
People actually complained!
📖 Related: LeBron James Without Beard: Why the King Rarely Goes Clean Shaven Anymore
They said the game went so long it ruined Christmas dinner. The league got spooked and basically avoided the holiday for years, only scheduling games there if they absolutely had to. Fast forward to the mid-2000s, and the mindset shifted. We became a society that consumes content 24/7, and the NFL realized that a game on Christmas wasn't an intrusion—it was a gift. Or at least, that’s how they market it.
The Betting and Fantasy Impact
If you’re still alive in your Fantasy Football playoffs by Week 16 or 17, Christmas is either the best day of your life or a total nightmare. These games often serve as the "make or break" moments for championships.
- Injury Risk: The short turnaround increases the chance of "soft tissue" injuries.
- The Weather Factor: Late December in places like Green Bay, Chicago, or Pittsburgh can turn a high-flying offense into a stagnant run-heavy slog.
- Player Motivation: Some guys are focused; others are thinking about the flight home to see their kids. It’s an intangible variable that Vegas oddsmakers struggle to pin down.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Ratings
People think the NFL is "killing" the NBA on Christmas. That’s a bit of an oversimplification, though the numbers are lopsided. The NBA still does great business on Christmas. The difference is the scale. An NBA Christmas game might pull 5 million viewers. An NFL game pulls 25 million.
The NFL doesn't just want a slice of the pie; they want the whole bakery. By moving into the Wednesday slot and partnering with a streamer like Netflix, they are targeting a younger demographic that might not even have a cable subscription. It’s a genius move, even if it feels a bit corporate.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Holiday Football
Is Friday next? Or Tuesday? The league has shown it doesn't care about the day of the week anymore. If there is an audience, there will be a game. We are heading toward a future where the NFL owns the entire week between Christmas and New Year's Day. It’s becoming the "NFL Holiday Week."
Expect more exclusive streaming deals. Amazon already has Thursday Night Football. Peacock had that exclusive playoff game that made everyone mad but still drew 23 million people. Netflix owning Christmas is just the next step in the fragmentation of sports media. You’re going to need five different passwords just to watch your favorite team. It’s annoying, but we’re all going to pay for it anyway.
👉 See also: When is Georgia's next game: The 2026 Bulldog schedule and what to expect
Tips for Surviving the 2024 Christmas Slate
If you're planning to watch the Christmas Day NFL football games this year, you need a strategy. This isn't amateur hour.
First, check your tech. If you’re watching on Netflix, make sure your app is updated at least 24 hours before kickoff. Don't be the person trying to remember their password while the opening kickoff is happening.
Second, manage the family expectations. If you know the Chiefs and Steelers are playing at 1:00 PM ET, schedule the big meal for 4:00 PM. Use the halftime window for the gift exchange. It sounds cold, but efficiency is key when there is a playoff spot on the line.
Third, watch the injury reports on the Saturday prior. Because these teams are playing two games in four or five days, the "limited" tag in practice is a huge red flag. Depth wins games on Christmas. The team with the better backup linebackers and rotational defensive ends usually covers the spread when everyone else is exhausted.
Actionable Steps for Fans
- Audit Your Subscriptions: Ensure your Netflix account is active and the "Standard" or "Premium" plan is ready for high-definition streaming.
- Sync Your Calendar: The 2024 games are on a Wednesday. This is unusual. Double-check your work holiday schedule or OOO (Out of Office) status so you aren't stuck in a Zoom meeting during a game-winning drive.
- Monitor the Saturday Flex: Remember that the Christmas teams play on the Saturday before. Watch those games closely—not just for the score, but for how much "trench war" they endure. A physical game on Saturday usually leads to a slow start on Wednesday.
- Set Your Fantasy Lineups Early: Don't wait until Wednesday morning. With the Saturday games happening, your roster might be locked sooner than you think.
The NFL on Christmas is here to stay. It’s loud, it’s expensive, and it’s become a modern tradition whether we like it or not. The move to Netflix is just the beginning of a new chapter where the league becomes a global holiday event, transcending the old-school TV model. Grab your remote, keep your charger close, and get ready for the chaos.