Move over, holiday classics—the NFL on Netflix is rewriting Christmas traditions faster than a Hail Mary in overtime. Imagine Santa trading his sleigh for a goalpost, Mariah Carey’s anthem blasting alongside Lamar Jackson’s scrambles, and Beyoncé dropping halftime fire hotter than Grandma’s apple pie. This isn’t your dad’s Christmas—it’s a gridiron takeover. And Commissioner Roger Goodell just doubled down, turning the holiday into football’s newest holy day.

The NFL announced Monday a 50% boost to its Christmas slate, confirming a tripleheader for 2024—two games on Netflix and one on Amazon Prime. Last year’s doubleheader averaged 24 million viewers, with Beyoncé’s halftime show peaking at 27 million. “The NFL on Christmas has become a tradition,” said NFL exec Hans Schroeder. “To partner with Netflix, a service whose biggest day of the year is typically this holiday, is the perfect combination to grow this event globally for NFL fans.” Forget mistletoe—football owns December 25.

Christmas Day football isn’t new. The league first tested it in 1971, but last year’s NFL on Netflix games rewrote the playbook. Chiefs–Steelers and Ravens–Texans drew 65 million U.S. viewers, dwarfing the NBA’s five-game average of 5.25 million. LeBron James joked, “I love the NFL, but Christmas is our day,” but the numbers shouted louder: NFL games topped every NBA matchup, even Lakers–Warriors. Why the dominance?

Netflix’s global reach. Fans in 218 countries streamed the games, while Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” halftime spectacle trended #1 worldwide. “We couldn’t be more excited to be the first professional sports league to partner with Netflix to bring live games to fans around the world,” Schroeder added. Besides, football + streaming = unstoppable. However, the Ravens’ 31-2 rout of Houston wasn’t the only highlight.

Beyoncé’s 13-minute show—featuring bull riders, marching bands, and Blue Ivy—became a cultural moment. Mariah Carey’s pregame cameo? Icing on the fruitcake. Meanwhile, Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce cemented legacies, with Kelce breaking Chiefs TD records.

But the real MVP was the NFL on Netflix strategy. Last year’s games became the most-streamed in U.S. history, proving live sports could thrive outside cable. “Bringing our members this record-breaking day of two NFL games was the best Christmas gift we could have delivered,” said Netflix’s Bela Bajaria.

NFL on Netflix: A streaming touchdown

1. The global huddle:

Netflix didn’t just air games—it built a worldwide tailgate. Over 30 million global viewers tuned in per game, with Mexico, Brazil, and Germany joining the party. For comparison, YouTube’s record-breaking Jake Paul fight peaked at 65 million streams. But Netflix’s secret weapon? Zero buffering complaints.

2. NBA’s lump of coal:

The NBA’s 84% viewership jump couldn’t compete. Even Adam Silver admitted, “Cable television viewership is down double digits so far this year versus last year.” Meanwhile, the NFL’s hybrid model—streaming plus local CBS broadcasts—kept diehards happy. Besides, fans want choice and flexibility.

3. Drafts, deals, and dollars:

Moreover, with Netflix skipping NFL Draft bids (hello, Fox and YouTube), Christmas remains its sports centerpiece. The three-year, $150M/year deal hints at more live experiments. Think F1 races or Receiver-style docs. But what’s next?

4. The future of festive football:

2025’s Thursday Christmas could mean three games. “This game has gotten so much faster,” Goodell teased in Feb. Besides, Christmas movies are about people being happy. NFL games are about people screaming. Which will win?

The NFL’s Christmas coup blends tradition with tech, turning touchdowns into global events. With Netflix as its Rudolph, the league isn’t just stealing Santa’s spotlight—it’s building a sleigh that flies year-round. As Vince Lombardi almost said, “Perfection isn’t attainable, but 65 million viewers is pretty close.”

So, will your Christmas table debate Rudolph reruns or Ravens coverages next year?