Arrr, me hearties! The tale o' NFL games on Christmas Day be a jolly one indeed! For four years straight, football fans be blessed with these merry matches!
2023-12-21
Arrr, the custom o' havin' NFL games on Christmas be a mighty challenge indeed, as the merry day shifts its date like the waves o' the sea. Yet, for the past four years, we've been blessed with battles on this joyous occasion, spoilin' us with sport, mateys!
In a jolly twist of events, NFL fans have been treated to an increasing number of games on Christmas Day in recent years. While Thanksgiving football has long been a tradition in the NFL, Christmas games haven't received the same level of commitment. The main reason for this is that Christmas falls on different days of the week each year, many of which are not typical game days for the NFL. Thanksgiving, on the other hand, is always celebrated on a Thursday, a day when teams already play. However, there have been some NFL games played on Christmas, especially in recent years. So far, there have been 27 games played on Christmas, with an additional three scheduled for Christmas 2023. The number of Christmas games has been on the rise in recent years, with 2023 marking the fourth consecutive year of NFL battles on the holiday. One notable game in NFL history was the longest Christmas Day game ever played. In 1971, the Dallas Cowboys faced off against the Minnesota Vikings, and the Kansas City Chiefs played against the Miami Dolphins. The Chiefs-Dolphins game went into double overtime, lasting 82 minutes and 40 seconds, making it the longest game in NFL history. However, after this lengthy game, the tradition of playing on Christmas Day didn't immediately catch on. It took until 1989 for another game to be played on Christmas. In 2023, there will be three games played on Christmas Day, but the streak will likely end in 2024, as Christmas falls on a Wednesday, a day when the NFL doesn't typically hold games. The NFL aims to focus on the run to the playoffs and maintain competitive equity, rather than playing on unconventional days.