Santa Claus isn't the only one coming to town this December. The NFL has officially decided that Christmas belongs to the shield, and honestly, the traditional NBA monopoly on the holiday is basically dead. For years, we all assumed football on December 25th was a rare treat, something that only happened when the calendar aligned perfectly. Not anymore. Even when the holiday falls on a Wednesday—traditionally a "dead" day for professional football—the league is forcing the issue.
If you are looking for the NFL schedule for Christmas day, you aren't just looking for kickoff times. You're looking at the start of a massive streaming war. Netflix has entered the chat.
The Netflix Era: A Massive Shift in the NFL Schedule for Christmas Day
The league didn't just decide to play on a Wednesday because they felt like it. They did it because money talks, and Netflix shouted the loudest. In a landmark three-year deal, Netflix secured the global rights to the Christmas Day games. This isn't just another broadcast; it's a test case for whether the world's biggest streamer can handle the literal millions of fans who will be trying to log in at the exact same time. We saw the buffering issues during the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight. Fans are rightly nervous. Will the servers hold up when Patrick Mahomes is driving down the field in the two-minute warning?
The 2024-2025 season set the template. We had the Kansas City Chiefs taking on the Pittsburgh Steelers, followed by the Baltimore Ravens facing off against the Houston Texans. It was a heavy-hitter lineup. But looking ahead to the future NFL schedule for Christmas day, the league is making it clear that these aren't just "extra" games. They are marquee events designed to dominate the conversation between opening presents and eating ham.
Why the Wednesday Game Actually Happened
Most people thought Roger Goodell was joking. Playing on a Wednesday? It sounds like a logistical nightmare for player safety and short weeks. But the NFL is a machine. To make it work, the league scheduled the Christmas participants to play on the preceding Saturday. This gave them a "normal" four-day rest period, similar to the turnaround for a Thursday Night Football game. It’s calculated. It’s cold. It’s peak NFL.
Hans Schroeder, the NFL's executive vice president of media distribution, admitted that the data from previous Christmas games was too good to ignore. In 2023, the three-game slate averaged nearly 30 million viewers. To put that in perspective, that's more than double the viewership of almost any other regular-season window. The NBA’s prime Christmas matchup usually struggles to hit 10 million. The NFL didn't just invite itself to dinner; it took the head of the table.
The Matchup Formula: How Teams Get Picked
The league doesn't just pull names out of a hat for the NFL schedule for Christmas day. They follow a very specific, albeit unwritten, set of rules to ensure the ratings justify the massive checks written by streamers.
- The Quarterback Factor: You will almost never see a Christmas game without at least one Tier 1 superstar under center. Think Lamar Jackson, C.J. Stroud, or Josh Allen.
- Narrative Weight: The league loves a "clash of styles" or a playoff rematch. The 2024 games specifically targeted the AFC powerhouses because that’s where the most volatile playoff seeding usually happens late in December.
- Market Size: While the NFL is "televisual gold" everywhere, having a massive fan base like the Steelers or Cowboys involved ensures the floor for viewership stays incredibly high.
It’s kinda funny how things change. Ten years ago, the NFL avoided Christmas because they didn't want to "intrude" on family time. Now, they've realized that for most American families, football is the family time.
The Logistics of a Holiday Kickoff
Let’s talk about the actual timing. Typically, the NFL schedule for Christmas day features a doubleheader.
The first game usually kicks off around 1:00 PM ET. This is the "brunch" game for the West Coast and the "post-present" game for the East Coast. The second game follows at 4:30 PM ET. This is the "golden hour" for advertisers. By this time, most people are settled on the couch, the dishes are (maybe) done, and the food coma is setting in.
But there’s a catch for fans who aren't tech-savvy. Since these games are moving to Netflix, you can't just flip on CBS or FOX with your old-school antenna in most markets. Unless you live in the local markets of the competing teams—where the games are required by league rules to be broadcast on over-the-air television—you need a subscription. This is a massive pain point for older fans who just want to watch the game without navigating a smart TV menu.
Player Safety vs. Revenue
Players aren't always thrilled about this. Imagine being a Baltimore Raven and having to fly to Houston on Christmas Eve. You miss the morning with your kids, the dinner with your parents, all for a Wednesday afternoon kickoff.
Pro Bowl players like Darius Slay have been vocal about the "ticking clock" on their bodies. Short weeks are hard. Short weeks during the most stressful travel time of the year are harder. However, the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) agreed to these terms because the revenue share from these massive streaming deals eventually inflates the salary cap. It's a trade-off: your Christmas morning for a few extra million dollars in the cap pool.
What to Expect for Future Christmas Windows
Looking toward the next few years, expect the NFL schedule for Christmas day to expand even further. There are rumors of a triple-header becoming the standard if the "Christmas on Wednesday" experiment proves that fans will watch football any day of the week.
We’re also seeing a shift in how the games are "produced." Netflix isn't just showing the game; they are treating it like an entertainment special. Expect more "celebrity" tie-ins, specialized halftime shows that feel more like the Super Bowl than a standard Week 16 game, and heavy integration with Netflix's own IP. Don't be surprised if you see a "Squid Game" themed red zone graphic or a "Stranger Things" promo during a crucial third-down conversion. It's weird, but it's the future.
Beyond the Stats: The Cultural Shift
Honestly, the NBA should be worried. For decades, the Christmas Day slate was the unofficial start of the basketball season for casual fans. Now, the NFL has basically sucked the oxygen out of the room. When the NFL schedule for Christmas day drops, it’s the lead story on every sports desk.
The strategy is clear: Total. Media. Dominance.
The NFL wants to be the soundtrack of every American holiday. They already own Thanksgiving. They've claimed Black Friday with the Amazon Prime games. Now, Christmas is the final piece of the puzzle. It’s a bold move that ignores traditional scheduling norms in favor of raw viewership data.
Practical Tips for the Holiday Fan
If you're planning your day around the NFL schedule for Christmas day, you've gotta be prepared.
- Check your Login: Don't wait until 12:55 PM to realize you forgot your Netflix password or that your subscription lapsed.
- Bandwidth Management: If you have five kids playing new PlayStations in the other room, your stream is going to lag. Kick them off the Wi-Fi or hardwire your TV.
- Local Exceptions: If you live in the city of one of the playing teams, check your local listings. You can save the bandwidth and watch it on a local affiliate for free.
- The Saturday Buffer: Remember that the teams playing on Wednesday likely played the previous Saturday. Check those box scores. Injuries from a Saturday game have a much higher impact on a Wednesday game because there’s zero time for a "full" recovery week.
The NFL is changing. The way we watch it is changing. Whether you love the "Netflix-ization" of sports or hate it, the NFL schedule for Christmas day is now a permanent fixture of the holiday season. The league has proven it can move the mountains of the calendar to fit its needs.
Get your snacks ready. Check your connection. The holiday season is now officially a four-quarter game.
Next Steps for the Savvy Fan
- Verify your streaming setup: Ensure your smart TV or streaming stick is updated to the latest version of the Netflix app to avoid "Day of" crashes.
- Monitor the Saturday injury reports: Since Christmas teams play on the preceding Saturday, the "Estimated" injury reports on Monday and Tuesday are the only real data you'll get for your fantasy lineups or betting picks.
- Sync your calendars: The NFL usually releases the exact times and matchups in May. Mark your calendar then, but keep an eye out for "flex" changes that can happen late in the season if a matchup loses its playoff relevance.