What makes a die-hard Detroit Lions fan? Devoted fans share their stories
We asked Detroit Lions fans to share their stories. Hear what they think of the team’s current run and how their devotion grew through the years.
Christmas isn’t usually known as a day for football, but the Detroit Lions could make it their own in 2025.
As reported on Wednesday, May 14, the Lions will be visiting the Minnesota Vikings for a Christmas Day matchup on Thursday, Dec. 25. The game will be broadcast on Netflix and is scheduled to kick off at 4:30 p.m. ET.
The Lions have been a Thanksgiving Day staple for decades, but believe it or not, this will actually be the third time the Lions will have played on Christmas.
Detroit’s first Christmas Day game happened in 1994, when the Lions lost a 27-20 contest to the Miami Dolphins in Miami. The second happened in 1999, with the Lions losing at home 17-7 to the defending Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos.
The NFL has historically shied away from scheduling games on Christmas, whether due to a shorter regular season or perhaps objections to playing football during the holiday. But due to the expanding regular season and new broadcasting contracts, the NFL has played at least one game on Christmas every year since 2020.
Earlier in April, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said the league would schedule three Christmas Day games every year going forward.
The Lions are a combined 0-2 on Christmas Day games:
1994: 27-20 loss to the Dolphins.
1999: 17-7 loss to the Broncos.
2025: at Minnesota Vikings.
How to watch the Lions Christmas game
The Lions’ Christmas matchup against the Vikings will only be streamed on Netflix, meaning you can’t access it through your cable or satellite provider.
Date: Thursday, Dec. 25.
Time: 4:30 p.m. ET.
Channel: Will not be broadcasted on TV.
Stream: Netflix.
This story was updated to correct the number of Christmas Day games scheduled for the 2025 NFL season. There are three.
You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.Â