Schedule, Players To Watch, Where To Stream

Move over, NBA. The NFL is here in full swing on Christmas Day, and there is an impressive slate of games for fans to enjoy. After last season saw two games on Christmas, this year, because December 25 falls on a Thursday, there are three games being played.

This Christmas slate offers more than just a few games to watch. Fans will be getting games with playoff implications and storylines galore. Teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and Dallas Cowboys could be fighting for their playoff lives while others like the Detroit Lions and Denver Broncos look to solidify themselves as contenders.

From marquee matchups to players to keep your eye on, Christmas Day 2025 presents a feast for football fans that’s better than any Christmas ham. Below is the full schedule, what to watch for, and how to stream every game.

Which NFL Games Are Happening on and Around Christmas 2025?

Christmas 2025 is the start of the Week 17 schedule of games, and will certainly feature teams that are trying to get into the playoffs or even clinch their positioning. This year’s games feature three divisional matchups, making the games even more important for fans than they already were.

The games this year on Christmas feature the Dallas Cowboys facing the Washington Commanders, the Detroit Lions against the Minnesota Vikings, and the Denver Broncos against the Kansas City Chiefs.

If you are wondering about other games around the holiday, there aren’t any until Sunday, December 28. That means there are no games on Friday or Saturday that week. The rest of the games are on Sunday and Monday.

What Are the Full Schedules and Kickoff Times for the Holiday Games?

Here’s the complete Christmas Day lineup with official Eastern Time kickoffs:

• Dallas Cowboys at Washington Commanders – 1:00 PM ET
  Streaming: Netflix
• Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings – 4:30 PM ET
  Streaming: Netflix
• Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs – 8:15 PM ET
  Streaming: Amazon Prime Video

All other holiday-week games on December 28–29 follow standard Sunday and Monday times (1:00 p.m., 4:05/4:25 p.m., and 8:20 p.m. ET), depending on network assignments.

Where Can Fans Watch or Stream Each Christmas Game Live?

The 2025 Christmas lineup of games continues the NFL’s shift toward streaming-focused broadcasts:

• Cowboys @ Commanders — Exclusive on Netflix
• Lions @ Vikings — Exclusive on Netflix
• Broncos @ Chiefs — Amazon Prime Video (Thursday Night Football)

As always, local markets will receive a standard broadcast simulcast, meaning fans in the competing teams’ home regions can watch on traditional television even for streaming-exclusive games.

Players To Watch In The NFL Christmas Games

Dak Prescott — If the Dallas Cowboys are going to make the playoffs, they need their franchise quarterback (QB) to play like one. Prescott is on pace to throw for over 4,700 yards for the second time in his career and 34+ touchdowns for the third. Against a poor Commanders team, Prescott has the opportunity to sling the ball and carry Dallas to what could be a major win, depending how things play out.

J.J. McCarthy — The Vikings’ second-year QB has had a roughb go of it in his first season as the team’s starter. From injuries to inconsistent play, there’s been a lot of talk whether or not he’s truly the team’s QB of the future. While the game won’t have any playoff implications for Minnesota this year, it will be seen as another test for McCarthy heading into a pivotal offseason for the franchise.

Jahmyr Gibbs — Gibbs might just be the most dynamic running back in the NFL. The third year back out of Alabama recently joined Barry Sanders as the only other running to store at least 45 touchdowns before turning 24 years old. He has the ability to break a play open every time he touches the ball and has turned into a must-watch player every time the Lions play. With a national stage like Christmas, Gibbs will be key in giving Lions fans the biggest present of all: another trip to the playoffs.

What Are the Key Storylines and Matchups to Follow This Christmas Season?

With all of the games on Christmas being division matchups, the storylines pretty much write themselves. Some teams will be trying to lockup or stay alive in the playoff race while others could be playing spoiler. Here are the biggest things to watch during the Christmas Day games.

Streaming Spotlight

This is the second year of the NFL on Netflix, and fans are sure to be watching closely to the broadcast and expands its Christmas streaming strategy. With two games exclusively on Netflix, 2025 becomes another test of whether fans embrace major holiday football moving primarily to streaming platforms or if it’s only a flash in the pan.

Will The Cowboys and Chiefs Make The Playoffs?

To say the season hasn’t gone according to plan for the Kansas City Chiefs and Dallas Cowboys would be an understatement. As of writing, both teams are on the outside of the playoffs in their respective conferences.

By the time Christmas comes along they’ll either be completely out of the race, or needing a Christmas miracle to get in. Stranger things have happened, though, and until they’re both eliminated, you can’t right off either group.

Will Denver Be The AFC’s No. 1 Seed?

Denver’s season has been one to behold for fans in the Mile High City and beyond. The Broncos have taken care of business throughout the year, including a nine-game winning streak heading into Week 15. With wins over teams like Kansas City, Houston, and Philadelphia, the Broncos are at the top of the AFC with a chance to clinch the number one seed for the first time since 2015.

They’re in a fight with the New England Patriots for that spot—just like in 2015—but clarity could come by the time the game ends at 11:30PM EST on Christmas Day.

Will The Detroit Lions Stay Alive?

The Detroit Lions went 15-2 in 2024, but 2025 hasn’t been as smooth sailing. The Lions are in the middle of a fight to the playoffs with teams like the Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers, and even the Carolina Panthers. Detroit will need to keep winning and hope teams ahead of the fall, otherwise there’s a chance they miss the playoffs for the first time since 2022.