NFL Christmas Day games 2021: Aaron Rodgers to battle Baker Mayfield in Green Bay
The NFL will see two games played on Christmas Day this year. While the schedule isn't as star-studded as the yearly NBA Christmas show, the league made sure to include two games with possible playoff implications for families to gather and watch on Christmas.
While there won't be any games played on the early schedule during lunchtime, fans will be able to see a nationally televised game during the afternoon. There will also be a late game played Saturday night during Christmas, but only NFL Network has the broadcast rights.
Which NFL games will fans be able to watch during Christmas Day?
For those who aren't that deep into the NBA, the NFL will provide options for Christmas Day.
At 4:30 pm, there will be a clash between two of the best teams in their conferences, as the Cleveland Browns visit the Green Bay Packers in the hope of racking up their first win against Aaron Rodgers.
Late in the evening, at 8:15 pm, the Indianapolis Colts travel to Arizona to face the Cardinals in what could be a crucial game for both teams. Both the Colts and the Cardinals are contenders for a wild-card spot (in different conferences, obviously) and a loss could be a dagger to the heart of their playoff aspirations.
Does the NFL have a history of playing on Christmas Day?
NFL games on December 25 used to be a rarity until 2016, when the NFL started to put one or two games on their yearly schedule.
In 2016, the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers faced each other in a nail-biter. In 2010, the Cardinals beat the Dallas Cowboys with a game-winning field goal as time expired. Last year, Alvin Kamara tied the NFL record for most touchdowns in a single game with six against the Minnesota Vikings.
Five teams have never lost a Christmas Day game. Two of them, the Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles, have won at least two games.
As the schedule expands, more and more teams will play games on December 25. Since the league instituted a 17-game regular season in 2021, the competitive disadvantage regarding resting and fighting for playoff spots has gotten even smaller - if any at all.
Fans who aren't that much into the NBA will be treated to two great NFL games by Santa this year.