2020 NFL Season: What NFL teams play on Christmas Day 2020?
Week 16 of the 2020 NFL Season starts off on Christmas Day. The New Orleans Saints will welcome the Minnesota Vikings in a game that has massive implications as both teams are fighting for a spot in the NFL Playoffs.
On Christmas Day, the NFL will give us all a great present to watch
The Vikings are currently sitting two games behind the Arizona Cardinals. A loss to New Orleans will eliminate them from the NFL Playoffs. Meanwhile, the New Orleans Saints are hoping to avoid falling even farther down the playoff rankings.
Minnesota Vikings vs New Orleans Saints Christmas Day
New Orleans Saints will make their first appearance on Christmas Day against the Minnesota Vikings. Drew Brees will be without star wide receiver Michael Thomas for the remainder of the regular season. The Saints are in must-win situations for their last two games of the 2020 NFL Season.
Minnesota Vikings have played a total of three times on Christmas in their franchise history. The Vikings hold a 1-2 record on Christmas Day. Minnesota Vikings played in the first game on Christmas Day in 1971 and lost to the Dallas Cowboys.
They would make another appearance during the 1989 NFL Season. Minnesota would beat the Cincinnati Bengals on Christmas that season. Their last appearance was against the Baltimore Ravens during the 2005 NFL Season that resulted in a loss for the Vikings.
History of the NFL on Christmas Day
Since the 1971 NFL Season, the National Football League has been played on Christmas Day a total of 14 times. The Dallas Cowboys have played the most games - five - on Christmas Day since 1971. The Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers have the best records on Christmas Day, with both being 2-0.
Five NFL teams have played on Christmas Day without winning a single game - the Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Texans, San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions, and the Las Vegas Raiders. The Bengals, Texans, and 49ers have only played once on Christmas while the Detroit Lions and Las Vegas Raiders have played twice.
Playing on Christmas Day is a big thing for the NFL because it does not happen every year. The last NFL game on Christmas Day was during the 2017 NFL Season and was played between the Philadelphia Eagles and Las Vegas Raiders.
The three-year gap between this year and the last time the NFL was played on Christmas makes this occasion special. The New Orleans Saints will look to give the Minnesota Vikings a lump of coal by eliminating them from playoff contention.