To the tune known far and wide … three Christmas games, two different apps, and a Snoop Dogg in a glass cave. The partridge gets exposed on the blitz. The pear tree has Ian Eagle on the call.
NFL action on Christmas Day dates back to 1971, but the current three-game format has only been in place since 2022. The Netflix daytime doubleheader is back after last season’s trial run, and Prime Video, the “Thursday Night Football” broadcaster, hosts an eggnog nightcap. The three Christmas matchups are spiked with divisional animosities. Here’s what fans need to know about the tinsel-wrapped broadcasts.
All times ET and all game odds via BetMGM.
NFL Christmas viewer guide
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GameTimeTVStreaming
Cowboys at Commanders
1 p.m.
Netflix (national)
CBS 11 (KTVT), 9 (WUSA) local
Lions at Vikings
4:30 p.m.
Netflix (national)
CBS 62 (WWJ), 4 (WCCO) local
Broncos at Chiefs
8:15 p.m.
Prime Video (national)
ABC 7 (KMGH), NBC 41 (KSHB) local
Dallas Cowboys at Washington Commanders
Cowboys (6-8-1): Brian Schottenheimer’s squad scores a lot of points — 28.3 per game, fifth-best in football. It gives up even more — 30.3, 31st out of 32 teams. Dallas’ defense has been bad on third downs, washing out a resurgent Dak Prescott season (second in passing yards and third in passing touchdowns). Another December with Jerry Jones scowling like Ebenezer Scrooge. At least the receivers cut weekly highlights. CeeDee Lamb is an elite route-runner who blows by man coverage. The acrobatic and hulking George Pickens has multiple submissions for catch of the year. His latest exclamation-mark grab, from the weekend:
38 YARD GP3 TD 💥
📺: #LACvsDAL on FOX
📲: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/RmDxAeCG4M pic.twitter.com/Vw8TfEcyWS
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) December 21, 2025
Commanders (4-11): Washington marched to the NFC championship game in January, lightyears ahead of schedule with its rookie leader in bloom. Dan Quinn and crew were the feel-good story of the 2024 season.
Washington now starts Josh Johnson on Christmas. Life has come at these Commanders fast, like Ferris Bueller on a flying reindeer. Franchise cornerstone Jayden Daniels is done for the year, and QB2 Marcus Mariota suffered hand and quad injuries Dec. 20. So, the offense turns to 39-year-old Johnson, a consummate break-glass emergency quarterback. He’s backed up seven teams since his 2009 pro debut.
His targets for Thursday’s game include vertical wideout Terry McLaurin and versatile gadget player Deebo Samuel. On the other end, injuries and inconsistencies have brought the Commanders down to 27th in scoring defense. The Cowboys torched them for 44 points in their Week 7 matchup.
Broadcast: There’s a CBS simulcast for the respective local markets, but nationally, this game is a Netflix exclusive. Active U.S. subscribers will see a Cowboys-Commanders landing page on their Netflix home screen, no matter the tier or device.
Kay Adams (formerly of “Good Morning Football”) anchors the pregame studio desk an hour before kickoff. She’s joined by Devin McCourty, a three-time Super Bowl champion and prolific identical twin. There’s also a delegate from the two teams, with Hall of Famer Michael Irvin repping The Star and injured running back Austin Ekeler holding down the Hogs. Two comedians, Bert Kreischer and Tom Segura, join for the jokes. Kelly Clarkson opens the telecast window with “Underneath the Tree.” We know which side she’s riding with.
Netflix is tapping Ian Eagle for play-by-play duties. He’s one of the sport’s best (and wittiest) calls. Eagle is flanked by former pros Nate Burleson and Matt Ryan for color commentary. The duo of Sara Walsh and Melanie Collins dispatches from the field.
Results of Christmas Past: Dallas is 2-3, tied with Kansas City for most Dec. 25 games. Washington makes its Christmas debut Thursday, but the Landover, Md., loyalists don’t seem to be in the caroling spirit.
The Secret Santa (played for both franchises): Deion Sanders. Current roster crossovers include Commanders center Tyler Biadasz (a Pro Bowler for Dallas in 2022) and Cowboys edge rusher Dante Fowler (10 1/2 sacks with Washington last season).
Odds:
Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings
Lions (8-7-1): Historically, Detroit is a Rembrandt of losing, with uniquely excruciating stumbles dotting its 96 seasons. Last Sunday was a new one — penalties negated two would-be walk-off touchdowns in the final seconds. After an NFC title bid in 2023 and a 15-win campaign in 2024, but the present team is a playoff longshot (17 percent chance of earning the final wild-card berth, per The Athletic’s playoff prediction model). As usual, Dan Campbell has been coaching up his Lions as a luxury offense (second in points per game, top-five in net yards per carry and per dropback).
Jared Goff is throwing with career-best efficiency, and Jahmyr Gibbs has become a full-fledged superstar in the zone rushing scheme. However, wheels have fallen off Detroit’s defense, which has been gashed for at least 29 points in each of its last four outings. Must-win vibes and a black ice drive to the postseason call for these sleek alternate uniforms:
Vikings (7-8): A second home team trots out its reserve QB for the Christmas spotlight. The understudies take the lead this Thursday. Somewhere, Netflix executives are punching air.
J.J. McCarthy, 10th pick in the 2024 draft, missed last season with torn meniscuses (from a preseason game, no less). He’s 5-4 in nine starts so far, but he’s the Viking on the shelf due to a Week 16 hand fracture. Time for Kevin McCarthy to cook, as Max Brosmer gets the call under center. Brosmer, an undrafted rookie, threw four interceptions in his last effort.
He’ll attempt to pull a miracle of “34th Street” proportions and extend Minnesota’s late three-game win streak in the process. Out wide, Justin Jefferson makes just about everything into a catchable ball. On defense, the Vikings are No. 1 in red-zone stop rate. They sacked Goff five times in their Week 9 win at Ford Field.
Broadcast: Jamie Erdahl takes over the pregame desk for this second game. The former players in tow are Brandon Marshall, a six-time Pro Bowl receiver, and Manti Te’o, college football lightning-rod linebacker. Seth Rollins is the afternoon’s celebrity add-on. The WWE heel is a suitable lifelong fan of the NFC North rival Chicago Bears.
Noah Eagle, Ian’s son, is our narrator from the purple palace. His booth partner is Drew Brees, a sure-thing finalist for next year’s Canton, Ohio, ceremony. Scoop City’s own Dianna Russini roams the sideline. The Athletic’s senior NFL insider reports alongside AJ Ross.
Snoop Dogg leads the musical interlude, which is billed as “Snoop’s Holiday Halftime Party” with a 4:30 p.m. start. There are confirmed cameos from country artist Lainey Wilson and “KPOP Demon Hunters” vocalists Ejae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami. Let’s see what surprises pop-outs are in line. The Death Row Records staple and Pittsburgh Steelers supporter will have his mind on his holly and his holly on his mind.
Results of Christmas Past: Not great. Detroit is 0-2, while Minnesota is 1-3 with a playoff-clinching win back in 1989.
Odds:
Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs
Broncos (12-3): Sean Payton’s Broncos lost an 11-game win streak last Sunday, but they are still in pole position to claim the AFC’s top playoff seed. With it would come Mile High home advantage and a crucial first-round bye to rest up.
Second-year signal-caller Bo Nix has thrown for at least 300 yards in three of his last four games, after doing so just once across his first 11. Denver leads with its defense, though. This pass rush is best in the league, thanks to all-sides pressure from linebackers Nik Bonitto (12 1/2 sacks) and Jonathon Cooper (8), plus linemen John Franklin-Myers and Zach Allen (7 1/2 each).
Patrick Surtain II, reigning Defensive Player of the Year, fronts a physical secondary. They need a collective good-faith effort Thursday. Per TruMedia, no team was better at defending third downs from Weeks 1-11. That mark is down to 25th in the last four weeks.
Chiefs (6-9): Yup … three contingency quarterbacks for the three Christmas home teams. Never host on the holidays. The Chiefs have been a decade-long dynasty under Andy Reid, but things completely bottomed out when Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL. The 2024 AFC champs take Arrowhead behind Chris Oladokun, as backup passer Gardner Minshew got hurt in last weekend’s relief. Kansas City will miss the playoff party for the first time since 2014. Christmas could mark Travis Kelce’s final home game, as retirement speculation builds around the All-Pro 36-year-old tight end.
Broadcast: It’s the standard “Thursday Night Football” template, so Al Michaels is on the call and Kirk Herbstreit will be his analyst. Kaylee Hartung, certified Christmas warehouse explorer, reports to them with real-time updates. The Prime Video telecast is available to all Amazon Prime users, and it also streams for free on Twitch.
Results of Christmas Past: K.C. improved to 3-2 with last year’s win against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Denver comes in at an even 2-2.
Odds:
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