Christmas Day turns into an NFL tripleheader, with six teams taking center stage while fans celebrate the holidays. The action begins with the Dallas Cowboys facing the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium, continues with the Detroit Lions visiting the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium, and wraps up under the lights at Arrowhead Stadium as the Denver Broncos take on the Kansas City Chiefs.
Along with the marquee matchups, fans can also expect a festive halftime show when the Cowboys and Commanders square off on Christmas Day.
What Is the Halftime Show at Cowboys-Commanders?
Netflix is bringing star power to Christmas Day, starting with the Cowboys-Commanders matchup.
Emmy and Grammy Award-winning singer Kelly Clarkson will open the holiday broadcast with a special performance of her festive hit, “Underneath the Tree,” setting the tone before kickoff at Northwest Stadium.
The Christmas special opener on Thursday will lean heavily into fan appreciation, with a full slate of gameday entertainment headlined by a Sugarhill Gang concert at halftime.
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The festivities begin in Legends Plaza with live music from Plug-N-Band and DJ Machado, while the Commanders take the field in their Super Bowl Era jerseys. The U.S. Army will perform the national anthem and present the color guard, underscoring the military theme throughout the day.
Former Washington fullback Mike Sellers will be honored as the Legend of the Game, with Under Secretary of the Army Hon. Mike Obadal and franchise icon Darrell Green serving as honorary captains.
Where To Watch Cowboys-Commanders?
- Date: Thursday, Dec. 25
- Time: 1 pm, ET
- Location: Northwest Stadium
- Streaming: Netflix, NFL+
Cowboys-Commanders Preview
The Cowboys may be out of the playoff picture, but a trip to Washington is never a throwaway game. Fresh off a rough 34-17 home loss to the Chargers, Dallas is looking to avoid another divisional embarrassment. Dak Prescott continues to be the stabilizing force, throwing for 244 yards and two touchdowns last week, while George Pickens emerged as a bright spot with 130 receiving yards on seven catches.
The Commanders, meanwhile, continue to search for answers. They have dropped nine of their last 10 games, with their only recent win coming against the Giants. In last week’s 29-18 loss to the Eagles, the passing game struggled mightily as Marcus Mariota and Josh Johnson combined for just 138 yards and an interception, leaving the offense to rely on rushing scores from Chris Rodriguez Jr. and Jacory Croskey-Merritt.
History leans heavily in favor of Dallas in this rivalry. The Cowboys have won 80 of 131 all-time meetings and seven of the last nine matchups, including a dominant 44-22 win earlier this season.
Even with a 6-8-1 record, Dallas enters with pride and a fourth-ranked offense by PFSN OFi, while Washington’s 4-11 slide underscores how far the Commanders have fallen from last season’s surprise success.
