While for many, the magic of Christmas often comes through the avenue of surprise, the NFL’s Christmas Day slate in 2025 should come with a pretty clear picture for many teams. Some franchises are holding onto dear life regarding playoff hopes, others are already looking ahead to draft position, and a few are simply playing out the string in what has been a really long season.
From an NFC East showdown to a clash of former contenders in the NFC North, to the rare “meaningless” game at Arrowhead Stadium, the NFL’s Christmas schedule truly has something for everyone.
Here’s what you need to know about the NFL Christmas games in 2025, including matchups, kickoff times, streaming details, and what’s at stake.
NFL Christmas Games 2025
The NFL will feature these three games on the occasion of Christmas Day:
- Dallas Cowboys at Washington Commanders – 1:00 p.m. ET
- Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings – 4:30 p.m. ET
- Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs – 8:20 p.m. ET
Cowboys Vs. Commanders On Christmas
- Venue: Northwest Stadium
- Location: Landover, Maryland
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
The Christmas festivities get underway with a traditional NFC East showdown, with the Dallas Cowboys set to travel to take on the Washington Commanders. Neither of these sides has lived up to their preseason forecasts, with Washington still trying to build on their from-last-season appearance in the NFC Championship Game, already eliminated from playoff contention.
The Dallas Cowboys, on the other hand, enter Christmas with a mere glimmer of playoff hope, which will require a loss by the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 16 if they are to make the postseason.
Broncos Vs. Chiefs On Christmas
- Venue: GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium
- Location: Kansas City, Missouri
- Streaming Platform: Prime Video
In a strange turn of events, the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs seem to have flipped roles this year. Denver is inching closer to its first AFC West title since 2015, relying on a dominant defense and a steady, efficient offense.
Meanwhile, Kansas City has been going through a nightmare of a year, epitomized by Patrick Mahomes’ season-ending ACL tear. Coming off nine consecutive division titles, the Chiefs now host one of the infrequent Christmas Day games with minimal playoff significance at Arrowhead Stadium.
Lions Vs. Vikings On Christmas
- Venue: U.S. Bank Stadium
- Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
Only a year ago, the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings fought each other for NFC superiority, but now the two teams are in altogether different circumstances. While the Vikings are already out of the running for the playoffs, the Lions are barely hanging in there.
Yet, interestingly enough, this matchup could be a thrilling affair with the Vikings planning for the future with J.J. McCarthy and the Lions desperate to cling to playoff life.
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Final Thoughts
These Christmas games may not be representative of overall Super Bowl favorites in 2025, but they offer storylines to savor, some of the hottest and long-standing rivalries, and a peek at what is both good and bad in the present and future of the NFL.
Whether you tune in for the playoff implications, young quarterback development, or just enjoy football while unwrapping your gifts, Christmas Day once more belongs to the NFL.
