The NFL first appeared on Christmas Day in 1971 when the Cowboys played the Vikings and the Chiefs played the Dolphins. The NFL usually dominates Thanksgiving, but with an NBA product on the rapid decline, the NFL has taken over Christmas Day. The marquee holiday matchups have been the stage for numerous spectacular performances. This season, the NFL has a pair of intriguing holiday games.
On Christmas Day in 2011, the Packers duo of Aaron Rodgers and Jordy Nelson packed up a great gift for football fans. The Packers beat the Bears 35-21 behind Rodgers 283 passing yards and five touchdowns while completing 72% of his passes. Nelson was on the receiving end of six of those passes for 115 yards and two touchdowns. James Jones also chipped in with 50 yards and two touchdowns.
In one of the few games that Baker Mayfield started for the Los Angeles Rams, Cam Akers lit up the tree in a 51-14 rout of the Russell Wilson-led Broncos. Akers posted 118 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 23 attempts. Mayfield went 24 for 28 with 230 yards and two touchdown passes to Tyler Higbee. Wilson, the former Broncos quarterback was feeling generous on the holiday and threw three interceptions.
Before Patrick Mahomes came along, Travis Kelce was catching passes from Alex Smith. On Christmas Day in 2016, Kelce hauled in 11 of his 12 targets for 160 yards and an 80-yard touchdown. Smith threw for 244 yards and a touchdown. Chiefs defensive tackle Dontari Poe threw a touchdown pass to Demetrius Harris. Andy Reid was getting crazy long before Mahomes came along.
In a showdown between head coaches Barry Switzer and Buddy Ryan, the Cowboys beat the Cardinals 37-13 on Christmas Day in 1995. Cowboys receiver Kevin Williams paced the Cowboys offense to the win with 203 yards and two touchdowns on nine receptions. The Cardinals kept Emmitt Smith quiet by his standards, holding him to 68 rushing yards and one touchdown, leaving the door open for Williams to dominate the holiday.
Troy Aikman threw for 350 passing yards and two touchdowns, feeding Williams’ hot hand. Michael Irvin tried to help out with 32 yards on five receptions, but it was the Kevin Williams show on Christmas in Arizona in 1995. The Cardinals, led by Dave Krieg, were no match for the Cowboys on that day.
Alvin Kamara won fantasy football championships with his Christmas Day performance in the Saints 52-33 rout of the Vikings in 2020. In his red and green cleats that the NFL fined him for, Kamara rushed for 155 yards and scored six touchdowns. He had a chance for seven, but Taysom Hill got the goalline attempt to steal it. Kirk Cousins tried to will the Vikings to a victory, passing for 291 yards and three touchdowns, but the storm from Kamara was too much.
With his incredible Christmas performance, Kamara tied Gale Sayers and Dub Jones for the NFL record of touchdowns in a single game. If Sean Payton doesn’t give Hill that goalline carry, Kamara owns the NFL single-game record. Tying the record is still a good consolation prize, especially in a win.
This season, the NFL’s Christmas Day slate has a chance to add to this list. The star-studded Chiefs offense travels to Pittsburgh to clash with the Steelers’ elite defense at 1:00. At 4:30, MVP candidate Lamar Jackson and the Ravens will battle CJ Stroud in the Texans in a potential playoff preview. Nobody would have complained if the NFL added an 8:00 game to the slate.
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