Honestly, if you looked at the schedule for NFL football dec 25 back in May, it felt like a home run. You had the Chiefs, the Cowboys, the Lions—basically the league’s A-list celebrities. But by the time Christmas morning actually rolled around in 2025, the vibe had shifted.
Injuries are a thief.
Instead of a Patrick Mahomes masterclass or Jayden Daniels magic, we got a "Third-Stringer Special." It’s kinda wild to think about. Three separate games. Three quarterbacks who started the year at the bottom of the depth chart.
We’re talking about Josh Johnson, Max Brosmer, and Chris Oladokun.
If you told a betting man in August that these would be the guys leading the charge on Netflix and Prime, they’d have laughed you out of the room. Yet, despite the "coal in the stocking" rosters, the 2025 Christmas slate managed to break records and remind everyone why the NFL is the only thing that matters on the holiday.
The Netflix Experiment: Lions, Vikings, and Snoops
Streaming is the new broadcast. Get used to it.
The afternoon matchup between the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings wasn’t just a divisional scrap; it became a historical event for Netflix. It averaged 27.5 million viewers. That’s massive. It officially became the most-streamed NFL game in U.S. history.
Why? Maybe it was the playoff stakes for Detroit. Or maybe it was just everyone being too full of turkey to find the remote.
Whatever the reason, the Vikings defense absolutely feasted. Max Brosmer, an undrafted rookie who had struggled earlier in the season, did just enough to let the defense carry him. They harassed Jared Goff all afternoon. Goff was 6-of-7 early on, but the pressure from Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner was relentless.
- Final Score: Vikings 23, Lions 10.
- The Peak: 30 million viewers during the halftime show.
- The X-Factor: Snoop Dogg’s Holiday Halftime Party.
People actually tuned in for the halftime show as much as the game. Snoop had Andrea Bocelli and Lainey Wilson. It felt more like a Super Bowl production than a random Week 17 game. Netflix is clearly playing for keeps here.
NFC East Grit: Cowboys vs. Commanders
The early slot was a bit of a mess, but a fun mess. The Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders were both playing for pride at this point. Both teams were already out of the playoff hunt.
Josh Johnson was under center for Washington.
Imagine being 39 years old and getting the call to start on Christmas. Johnson played his heart out, but the Cowboys’ Brandon Aubrey was the real MVP. The guy is a machine. He knocked through a 51-yarder like it was a warmup.
Dak Prescott didn't have his best day—starting 0-for-5 at one point—but he found George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb when it counted. It was a gritty, ugly 30-23 win for Dallas. It wasn't "beautiful" football, but 19.9 million people watched it anyway.
Arrowhead’s Somber Nightcap
The night game on Prime Video felt different. Usually, Arrowhead is a house of horrors for visitors, especially in December. But the Kansas City Chiefs were a shell of themselves.
No Mahomes. No Gardner Minshew.
The Denver Broncos, led by Bo Nix, came into town with a mission. They were fighting for the AFC’s No. 1 seed. They hadn't won in Kansas City in a decade.
They finally broke the curse.
The Broncos took a 20-13 win, effectively securing their postseason positioning. For the Chiefs, it was a weirdly emotional night. Travis Kelce was bracketed all game, but the cameras kept cutting to him. With rumors swirling that he might not play in 2026, every catch felt like a possible goodbye.
It was a quiet exit for the defending champs. Missing the playoffs for the first time since 2014 is a bitter pill for that city to swallow.
Why 22.9 Million People Still Tuned In
You’d think bad matchups and third-string QBs would kill the ratings. It didn’t.
Sure, the average was down about 5% from 2024. But 22.9 million viewers across three games is still a dominant number. The NFL on NFL football dec 25 is now a tradition that rivals Thanksgiving.
There’s a nuance here that most people miss. The NFL doesn't need "good" games to win the day. It just needs to be on.
We saw the NBA’s five-game slate average about 5.5 million viewers. That’s a respectable number for them, their best since 2018. But it’s a drop in the bucket compared to what Netflix and Amazon pulled.
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The "Big Data + Panel" methodology from Nielsen confirms that the shift to streaming hasn't stopped the casual viewer from finding the game. If you put it on a screen, they will come. Even if they have to endure some awkward Zoom interviews mid-game, which—let's be real—Netflix needs to stop doing immediately. Nobody wants to see a laggy video call with a retired player while a live play is happening.
What This Means for Next Season
If you’re a fan or a bettor, there are real takeaways from this holiday weekend.
First, the Lions' playoff "luck" is running thin. Dan Campbell’s squad needs more than just grit; they need to protect Goff better when the divisional pressure mounts.
Second, the Broncos are for real. Bo Nix has matured into a game manager who doesn’t blink in hostile environments. Winning at Arrowhead, even against a backup-led Chiefs team, is a psychological hurdle cleared.
Lastly, watch the streaming rights. With Netflix hitting record numbers for the Lions-Vikings game, expect the bidding wars for holiday slots to get even more aggressive.
Actionable Insights for NFL Fans:
- Check Your Subscriptions: If you don't have Netflix and Prime, you're going to miss key December games. The "broadcast only" era is officially dead.
- Roster Depth Matters: When betting on late-season games, look at the 3rd string QB. As we saw on Dec 25, they will play.
- Monitor the Chiefs' Offseason: With Mahomes' health and Kelce's potential retirement, the AFC West is wide open for the first time in years.
The 2025 holiday slate proved that the NFL is bulletproof. Even with backup QBs and streaming glitches, it remains the biggest show on earth. Keep an eye on the injury reports as we head into the 2026 season—because as we just learned, the name on the back of the jersey matters a lot less than the logo on the helmet when the lights are brightest.