The NFL’s 2025 Christmas Day Slate Is a Big Lump of Coal: Here’s What’s at Stake

This is not what the NFL had in mind when it announced its three-game Christmas Day slate back in May.

As Christmas gifts are unwrapped and friends and families around the world get together to celebrate the holiday season, six NFL teams will be gearing up Thursday to launch the NFL’s penultimate Week 17.

Here’s the schedule: The Cowboys (6-8-1) kick off the NFL slate at 1 p.m. ET with a matchup against the Commanders (4–11), followed by an NFC North clash between the Vikings (7–8) and Lions (8–7) at 4:30 p.m. ET. Both of those games can be streamed on Netflix. Wrapping up the day on Amazon Prime Video is a matchup between the Broncos (12–3) and Chiefs (6–9) at Arrowhead Stadium.

When the 2025 NFL schedule was announced back in the spring, the Christmas slate did sound intriguing. Five of the six teams playing on Christmas won at least 10 games and made the playoffs last season. It felt like a safe bet.

Instead, the three-game slate is looking like a big lump of coal in the stockings of every NFL fan. Whether it was underperformance or the injury bug hitting each locker room, four of the six teams playing on Christmas Day are officially eliminated from postseason contention, and only one—the Broncos—have clinched a playoff spot.

To make matters worse, all three of the Christmas games will feature one starting quarterback who began the season as a third-stringer on the depth chart. Josh Johnson, Max Brosmer and Chris Oladokun will be starting under center as the Commanders, Vikings and Chiefs compete on Christmas Day.

For decades, Christmas was an NBA holiday. But the NFL has hosted at least one Christmas game every year since 2020—even when the holiday lines up on a non-traditional NFL game day. This year, the slate simply doesn’t seem worth it.

In three rather uninteresting matchups, there are still a few things on the line on Christmas Day ... aside from your fantasy football championship, of course. Let’s take a look:

Game 1: Cowboys at Commanders (1 p.m. ET on Netflix)

Starting quarterbacks: Dak Prescott (Cowboys) and Josh Johnson (Commanders)
What’s at stake: Draft position, I guess?

Yes, that Josh Johnson plays for the Commanders. And after injuries to quarterbacks Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota, Johnson will spend his Christmas Day making his first start since 2021 and just his second start since the 2018 campaign.

Johnson last appeared in the national spotlight in the 49ers’ disastrous 31–7 loss to the Eagles in the 2022–23 NFC championship game. Stepping in for the injured Brock Purdy, Johnson played 23 forgettable snaps until he suffered a concussion, and Purdy had to finish off the game without the ability to throw a forward pass.

Since then, Johnson spent two seasons with the Ravens before landing in Washington in 2025. And now he’ll start a meaningless NFC East matchup between the Commanders, who were eliminated in Week 14, and the Cowboys, who had their playoff hopes dashed by three straight losses to the Lions, Vikings and Chargers.

Washington is currently in place to land the No. 7 pick in the 2026 NFL draft, while the Cowboys are further down the list at No. 13.

Game 2: Lions at Vikings (4:30 p.m. ET on Netflix)

Starting quarterbacks: Jared Goff (Lions) and Max Brosmer (Vikings)
What’s at stake: The Lions’ slim playoff hopes.

Aside from Denver, the Lions are the only other team playing on Christmas Day with their playoff dreams alive, although NFL’s Next Gen Stats gives Detroit a mere 6% chance to make the postseason. The only way the Lions can make the playoffs is to win out (against the Vikings and Bears) while the Packers lose out (to the Ravens and Vikings).

Minnesota, on the other hand, doesn’t have anything to play for. The Vikings have won three straight games and were hoping to build a bit of momentum heading into 2026 with second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy finding a rhythm, but he suffered a season-ending hand injury last week against the Giants.

Now, the Vikings trot out undrafted free agent Max Brosmer, who threw four interceptions in his first (and only) NFL start back in Week 13. Yikes.

Perhaps watching the latest Stranger Things episodes is a better way to spend your Christmas on Netflix than this NFC North collision.

Game 3: Broncos at Chiefs (8:15 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime Video)

Starting quarterbacks: Bo Nix (Broncos) and Chris Oladokun (Chiefs)
What’s at stake: Broncos’ chances to claim the AFC’s No. 1 seed

RELATED: Christmas Night May Be Travis Kelce’s Goodbye to Arrowhead Stadium

Back in May, Chiefs fans likely made plans to spend Christmas Day at Arrowhead Stadium picturing Patrick Mahomes doing his best Grinch impression and robbing the Broncos of playoff positioning.

Two knee injuries to Mahomes and backup Gardner Minshew later, those Chiefs fans will instead be watching third-string quarterback Chris Oladokun start under center. Oladokun entered the game in relief of Minshew last week and completed 11 of 16 passes for 111 yards in an ugly 26–9 loss to the lowly Titans.

But on the other side of the field, the Broncos do have something to play for. They are in the driver’s seat for the AFC’s No. 1 playoff seed and can clinch the AFC West with a win. Beat the Oladokun-led Chiefs, and the Broncos can clinch the No. 1 seed in Week 17 combined with losses by the Chargers, Bills and Jaguars.

So at least there’s something to play for on Christmas.