NFL Christmas games streaming: How to watch live

Who doesn’t love Christmas football? The NFL’s still-rare holiday tradition returns for another year in a row — and this time, it lands perfectly on a Thursday. This means three full matches instead of the usual two, giving fans a full day of football alongside the festivities.

This season marks the second year of the NFL’s three-year deal with Netflix to stream Christmas Day games, guaranteeing at least one holiday game each year for the duration of the deal. And with Christmas falling on a day the league already reserves for games, the schedule gets an extra boost: a third game airing on Amazon Prime as part of the regular show. Thursday Night Football align.

This year’s Christmas slate features three division matchups, with a mix of teams already out of playoff contention, one team fighting for the division crown and another clinging to faint playoff hopes. Here’s the full breakdown – and how to watch every game:

Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Commanders

Kicking off the festivities are two unlucky NFC East teams that don’t have much left to play for this season. When I wrote the Thanksgiving broadcast guide, the Cowboys were actually on the rise, coming off a win over the Chiefs that capped a three-game streak. At 6-5-1, Dallas still had faint playoff hopes and needed a road win in Detroit to keep them alive. This did not happen. Instead, the wheels came off, with two more losses soon after sealing their fate.

Now sitting at 6-8-1 and officially eliminated, it’s hard to call Dallas’ season anything other than a wash.

For Washington, the year was even more difficult. The Commanders (4-11) are stuck at the bottom of the NFC East just months after their shocking run to the NFC championship game. Injuries defined their collapse, none more damaging than the repeated setbacks of second-year star quarterback Jayden Daniels. What once looked like a promising follow-up campaign has turned into a season fans will want to forget.

You can watch this on Netflix at 12 p.m. CST / 1 p.m. EST

Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings

Here’s an NFC North game with playoff implications – if literally everything goes well. The Detroit Lions, once lovable league underdogs turned Super Bowl contenders, are facing a harsh reality this season.

Playing a rare holiday game outside of their traditional Thanksgiving slot, the Lions essentially have to win to keep even the faintest playoff hopes alive. After finishing last season at 15-2, Detroit now sits at 8-7, with injuries and a coaching exodus dampening much of what was once a blistering offense. Since a 4-1 start, the Lions have alternated wins and losses almost weekly, before finally dropping their first back-to-back games since 2022 with losses to the Los Angeles Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Even a victory on Christmas Day might not be enough. If the Green Bay Packers take care of business on Saturday, Detroit’s season will effectively end. To survive, the Lions would have to beat a Vikings team starting with their third-string quarterback, then upset the Chicago Bears 11-4 — coached by Detroit’s former offensive coordinator — while hoping the Packers stumble again against that same Minnesota team.

In other words, Detroit lacks margin and miracles.

As for the Vikings, there’s a lot less drama. Minnesota was already eliminated from the playoffs and its plan to rely on second-year quarterback JJ McCarthy, the No. 10 overall pick, never took off. A revolving door of injuries derailed the season early, leaving this game more about pride than playoff stakes.

You can watch this on Netflix at 3:30 p.m. CST / 4:30 p.m. EST

Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City Chiefs

A Christmas Day game in name only, this AFC West matchup could help decide the division crown between the Denver Broncos and – surprisingly – the Los Angeles Chargers. Yes, for the first time since 2012, the Kansas City Chiefs are headed for a losing season, and for the first time since 2014, they will miss the playoffs entirely.

Like the Cowboys, the Chiefs – and the face of the league, Patrick Mahomes – have had a strangely flat year. A sputtering offense and aging defense exposed the possibility that this chapter of Kansas City’s dynasty could finally close. That suspicion became reality during a divisional loss to the Chargers when Mahomes tore his ACL. The injury ended his season and, given his late appearance, could also threaten his availability early next year.

Meanwhile, things couldn’t be better in Denver. After a promising 2024 campaign that culminated in a surprise playoff appearance, the Broncos have taken a significant leap forward. Sitting at 12-3, Denver currently leads the AFC West over the 11-4 Chargers and controls its own destiny. A Christmas Day win over Kansas City, combined with a Chargers loss on Saturday, would give the Broncos the first division title since 2015 – the final season of the Peyton Manning era.

There’s even an outside path for Denver to lock up the AFC’s top seed with a little help elsewhere, but that’s a scenario best left to the calculators.

You can watch this on Amazon Prime at 7:15 p.m. CST / 8:15 p.m. EST.