2026 NFL schedule release: Netflix Christmas showcase features Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, and more (Getty)
The NFL made sure Christmas Day will again feel like a playoff weekend. The 2026 NFL schedule release confirmed three major holiday matchups featuring the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks, and Los Angeles Rams.Netflix landed two of the games, while FOX will carry the final matchup later that night. More importantly, every game on the Christmas Day schedule already comes with fresh playoff history, divisional tension, or a revenge storyline attached.
2026 NFL Schedule: Christmas showcase puts the Chicago Bears and Denver Broncos in the spotlight
The Christmas schedule opens with one of the oldest rivalries in football as the Green Bay Packers travel to Chicago to face the Bears at 1 p.m. ET on Netflix. The matchup drew extra attention after Chicago eliminated Green Bay in the wild-card round at Soldier Field last season. That playoff loss changed the tone around the rivalry heading into 2026, especially with both teams expected to stay in the NFC playoff race.The second Netflix game features Buffalo visiting Denver at 4:30 p.m. ET, a rematch of last season’s AFC divisional-round thriller. The Denver Broncos won 33-30 in overtime, but the finish created heavy debate after officials ruled a late Brandin Cooks reception an interception following review. Bills fans spent months arguing about the decision, which now adds even more intensity to the rematch.The final Christmas game sends the Los Angeles Rams to Seattle for an NFC West showdown at 8:15 p.m. ET on FOX. The Seahawks beat Los Angeles in last season’s NFC Championship Game before eventually winning Super Bowl 60, giving Sean McVay’s team another major revenge opportunity later this season.The NFL also expanded Netflix’s role beyond Christmas. The streaming platform will air the Week 1 opener in Australia between the Rams and the San Francisco 49ers, the first-ever Thanksgiving Eve game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Green Bay Packers in Week 12, and one additional Week 18 matchup that the league will announce later in the season.A few years ago, the NFL treated Christmas as an occasional showcase. That approach changed quickly once holiday ratings exploded. Looking at the 2026 NFL schedule, the league now sees Christmas Day as another prime window for rivalry games, playoff rematches and national spotlight moments.