It used to be that Christmas was for the NBA. You’d wake up, open some socks, and settle in for a Lakers game while the turkey dried out in the oven. But things changed. The NFL saw those ratings and basically said, "Hold my Gatorade." Now, the nfl football schedule christmas has become an absolute juggernaut, a three-game marathon that has shifted from a "sometimes" event to a permanent fixture on the holiday calendar.
Honestly, it’s a bit of a logistical nightmare for the players, but for us on the couch? It’s perfect.
We aren't just talking about a couple of random games anymore. The league has leaned so hard into the holiday spirit that they’ve signed massive three-year deals with streaming giants like Netflix. This isn't your grandpa's broadcast schedule. If you want to see the heavy hitters on December 25th, you better have your Wi-Fi password ready.
The Netflix Era and the New nfl football schedule christmas
In 2024, the NFL dropped a bombshell by partnering with Netflix. It was a three-year pact that guaranteed the streamer would be the home for holiday football through at least 2026. This changed the game for the nfl football schedule christmas because it forced fans to move away from traditional cable for one of the biggest viewing days of the year.
The 2025 slate was a prime example of this "streaming first" mentality. We saw a triple-header that kept the remote busy all day. Netflix took the first two slots, starting with the Dallas Cowboys visiting the Washington Commanders at 1:00 p.m. ET. Followed by a heavy-hitting NFC North clash between the Detroit Lions and the Minnesota Vikings at 4:30 p.m. ET.
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Then, Amazon Prime Video crashed the party.
Because Christmas fell on a Thursday in 2025, the league rolled its Thursday Night Football package into the holiday. This gave us the Denver Broncos versus the Kansas City Chiefs at 8:15 p.m. ET. It was a wild day of divisional rivalries, even if the Chiefs were playing without Patrick Mahomes (who was sidelined with an injury at the time).
Breaking Down the 2025 Matchups
- Cowboys vs. Commanders: A classic NFC East rivalry. Even with both teams struggling for playoff positioning that year, the ratings were massive.
- Lions vs. Vikings: This was the game of the day. Dan Campbell’s Lions were fighting for a postseason life, while the Vikings were leaning on their defense.
- Broncos vs. Chiefs: Usually, this is the crown jewel. But with the Chiefs starting third-stringer Chris Oladokun, it turned into a gritty, defensive battle that the Broncos eventually ground out.
Why the NFL Won’t Give Up Christmas
For a long time, the NFL avoided Christmas if it fell on a weekday. They didn't want to "intrude" on the holiday. That sentiment is officially dead. The 2024 Christmas games averaged over 30 million viewers each. To put that in perspective, that’s more than almost any regular-season game and rivals some playoff matchups.
The league realized that people want a reason to stay in the living room together.
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Roger Goodell and the schedule makers are smart. They know that by 2026, Christmas falls on a Friday. Under the current Netflix deal, we are guaranteed at least one game on that Friday, though insiders expect another triple-header given the success of previous years. The NFL has basically turned Christmas into "Thanksgiving 2.0," and the TV networks are paying billions for the privilege.
Watching the Games: The Streaming Struggle
It’s not all candy canes and touchdowns, though. The shift to streaming has caused some serious friction. To watch the full nfl football schedule christmas in recent years, you’ve needed a Netflix subscription and an Amazon Prime account.
If you’re someone who still relies on a digital antenna or basic cable, you’re mostly out of luck, unless you live in the local markets of the teams playing. In those specific cities, the games are still required to be broadcast on over-the-air stations. For everyone else? It’s time to log in.
The costs add up:
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- Netflix Standard (with ads) is roughly $7.99/month.
- Amazon Prime is about $14.99/month (or $8.99 for just Video).
- NFL+ provides mobile access, but that's another monthly fee.
It’s a fragmented world, but the NFL knows that the "must-watch" nature of these games will drive sign-ups. They aren't just selling football; they're selling the 24 million people who will keep their Netflix subscription for a few months after the game ends.
What to Expect for 2026 and Beyond
Looking ahead to the 2026 nfl football schedule christmas, the league is in a sweet spot. With the holiday landing on a Friday, it creates a "holiday weekend" atmosphere that the NFL thrives on. We will likely see another multi-game slate on Netflix.
Speculation is already swirling about which teams will get the nod. Expect the "ratings darlings" to be at the top of the list. We’re talking about the San Francisco 49ers, the Philadelphia Eagles, and likely the Houston Texans, who have become a national draw. The league generally avoids putting the same teams on Christmas two years in a row, but they’ve been known to break their own rules for a big-market matchup.
There is also the "short rest" factor. The NFL has to be careful about which teams they schedule for mid-week or Friday games to ensure players have enough recovery time from their previous Sunday game. This usually means the Christmas teams will have played the preceding Thursday or Saturday.
Actionable Steps for the Next Holiday Season
If you want to stay ahead of the curve and avoid the "why isn't the game on Channel 5?" panic on Christmas morning, here is what you need to do:
- Audit Your Apps: Check your Netflix and Amazon Prime subscriptions at least a week before December 25th. Don't wait until kickoff to find out your credit card on file expired.
- Check the Saturday Slate: The NFL often moves other big games to the Saturday after Christmas. Use the Christmas games as the "lead-in" for a full weekend of football.
- Update Your Smart TV: Streaming apps love to force an update right when you open them. Turn your TV on the night before to let everything download so you don't miss the 1:00 p.m. kickoff.
- Monitor the Local Listings: If you live in the home market of a team playing (like Dallas or Kansas City), you don't need the streaming apps. Keep a digital antenna handy just in case your internet goes down during a winter storm.
The nfl football schedule christmas is no longer a "special edition" of the season—it's the new standard. Whether you love the move to streaming or miss the old days of broadcast TV, the ratings suggest that we're all going to be watching anyway.