The NFL’s holiday schedule for 2025 is set, featuring two tripleheaders and a Black Friday showcase across broadcast and streaming platforms. The league confirmed the matchups and channels by releasing the full regular season schedule, keeping long-standing traditions intact while expanding its streaming footprint, especially on Christmas Day.
What Does the 2025 NFL Thanksgiving Slate Look Like?
Thanksgiving remains a three-game day anchored by the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys. The early window features the Green Bay Packers visiting the Lions at 1 p.m. ET on FOX. Detroit’s holiday slot is the longest-standing Thanksgiving tradition in the league, and this year, Green Bay returns for a rivalry edition at Ford Field.
Later, the mid-afternoon game features the Kansas City Chiefs taking on the Cowboys at 4:30 p.m. ET on CBS. Dallas’ annual home game draws one of the AFC’s marquee teams in a compelling cross-conference matchup at AT&T Stadium.
After the first four weeks of the season, the Chiefs have the 14th-best offense in the league based on PFSN’s Offense Impact metric. On the other hand, the Cowboys have the second-best offense in the league, but the worst defense based on PFSN’s Defense Impact metric.
In prime time, the Cincinnati Bengals travel to Baltimore to face the Ravens at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC. The divisional tilt adds significant late-window stakes to the holiday lineup.
The NFL also adds a Black Friday contest the day after Thanksgiving for the second straight season. The defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles will host the Chicago Bears at 3 p.m. ET on Prime Video, continuing the league’s post-holiday standalone slot on the streaming platform.
How Will the NFL Handle Its Christmas Day Schedule?
The NFL’s Christmas Day tripleheader returns in 2025, with streaming services front and center. The day begins with the Cowboys visiting the Washington Commanders at 1 p.m. ET on NFL Network, followed by the Lions taking on the Vikings at 4:30 p.m. ET, also on NFL Network. On Prime Video, the holiday nightcap sends the Denver Broncos to Arrowhead Stadium to face the Chiefs at 8:15 p.m. ET.
This Christmas slate continues the league’s recent approach of featuring high-profile matchups across digital partners, which expands availability beyond traditional linear TV. Netflix’s presence in the afternoon windows underscores the NFL’s continued push into major streaming distribution, while Prime Video’s evening game continues the platform’s role in marquee primetime slots.
Across both holidays, the Lions and Cowboys again feature prominently. Each team will appear on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, a scheduling decision reflecting their historic holiday ties and national draw. The schedule also leans heavily into rivalries and playoff-caliber matchups, with the Packers and Lions in the NFC North, the Bengals versus the Ravens in the AFC North, and the Lions versus the Minnesota Vikings again in the NFC North on Christmas. The Chiefs’ double holiday appearance, first at Dallas and then hosting Denver, also keeps one of the league’s most recognizable franchises at the center of the holiday calendar.
For viewers, the channel allocations will mirror recent seasons. The Thanksgiving games are on FOX, CBS, and NBC; Black Friday is on Prime Video; and Christmas is split between Netflix for the afternoon windows and Prime Video for the night game. Over-the-air access remains available for the Thanksgiving broadcast windows, while the streaming games will require platform subscriptions. As always, local markets will carry their clubs’ games on corresponding platforms, in accordance with league distribution rules.
Overall, the 2025 holiday lineup strikes a balance between tradition and modern distribution. It preserves the classic Detroit and Dallas home games on Thanksgiving, adds divisional stakes in prime time, and delivers a streaming-heavy Christmas tripleheader featuring two key NFC matchups before a late AFC showdown.
With playoff races often tightening in late November and December, these holiday games frequently shape seeding and wild-card pushes, adding competitive weight to the annual festivities.
