NFL on Christmas Day: 5 memorable games

For the second consecutive season, the NFL will have a tripleheader on Christmas Day. It is also the fourth straight year that games have been played on the day when families at home exchanged gifts. It has been an irresistible lure for fans and a bonanza for the NFL.

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Today’s games begin at 1 p.m. EST, with the Las Vegas Raiders meeting the Kansas City Chiefs in an AFC West battle that will be aired on CBS. At 4:30, the New York Giants visit the Philadelphia Eagles; Fox will broadcast that game. And at 8:15 p.m., the Baltimore Ravens travel to San Francisco to meet the 49ers in a game that will air on ABC and ESPN+.

“The days where families come together across the country we really believe are opportunities for us to use in a way to help build and celebrate football,” NFL executive vice president for media distribution Hans Schroeder told The Athletic. “So in those years where Christmas falls on a day that we can play NFL games, we think that’s a great opportunity to serve our fans and create a new window that we think they’ll enjoy. I think the number of people who watched shows that they do.”

The first time the NFL played a game on Christmas Day was in 1971, which fell on a Saturday. The league opted to skip playoff games on Christmas in 1977 even though it fell on a Sunday, The Athletic reported. Instead, divisional games were held on Saturday and Monday.

Five games were played on Christmas Day between 1990 and 2003, and the following year saw the first Christmas Day doubleheader, according to The Athletic. Christmas Day twin bills were contested again in 2005, 2006, 2016, 2017 and 2021.

There have been some memorable games played on Christmas Day. Here is a look at five of them.

Dolphins 27, Chiefs 24, 2OT (1971)

Christmas dinners nationwide were delayed as the Dolphins and Chiefs battled for 82 minutes, 40 seconds in what remains the NFL’s longest game. The Saturday double-overtime game featured 17 future Hall of Famers between the two teams, including opposing coaches Don Shula and Hank Stram. It was the final game at Kansas City’s Municipal Stadium, and it appeared that neither team wanted to close down the old field.

The game ended when Garo Yepremian kicked a 37-yard field goal to give the Dolphins a 27-24 victory at 7:24 p.m. EST.

“Somehow it would -- must, surely, on Christmas Day -- come to this,” John Underwood of Sports Illustrated wrote. “That the longest game in the history of American professional football would be decided by the smallest player on the field.”

Miami’s victory overshadowed a heroic performance by Chiefs running back Ed Podolak. He rushed for 85 yards, caught eight passes for 110 yards and returned three kickoffs for 154 yards. His third kickoff return, coming after Miami rallied for the third time to tie the game at 24 late in the fourth quarter, was for 78 yards. Podolak had to swerve to avoid Yepremian, allowing Miami’s Curtis Johnson to run him out of bounds at the Miami 22. That left it to sure-footed Jan Stenerud, who inexplicably pushed his 33-yard attempt wide right with 35 seconds left in regulation to send the game into overtime, Sports Illustrated reported.

A 29-yard run by Larry Csonka put Miami in field goal range in the second overtime, and Yepremian was true moments later.

“I knew we would win because last night I was very good at cards,” Yepremian said, according to Sports Illustrated. “I say, ‘When I win at cards, we win.’”

Victory was in the cards for Miami that day.

Cowboys 20, Vikings 12 (1971)

In the first NFL game ever played on Christmas Day, the Cowboys intercepted four passes against the Vikings to clinch a 20-12 victory. Roger Staubach, who took over as the starting quarterback during the middle of the season, remained unbeaten as Dallas won its eighth straight game, The New York Times reported. Duane Thomas scored on a 13-yard run in the third quarter to extend Dallas’ lead to 13-3, and Bob Hayes caught a 9-yard pass from Staubach later in the period, according to Pro-Football-Reference.com. Minnesota would get a safety and a touchdown in the fourth quarter, but it was not enough as the Cowboys’ defense was solid.

“The team that executed best won the game,” Vikings coach Bud Grant said. “We had the fumbles and interceptions. When you are making mistakes, the breaks are apt to go against you. We had two field goal attempts, no good, one a narrow miss and the other hit the upright. They could have made a big difference.”

Steelers 31, Ravens 27 (2016)

Ben Roethlisberger’s right arm and Antonio Brown’s left arm helped Pittsburgh to a comeback win against Baltimore to lock up the AFC North title with a 31-27 victory at Heinz Field. Baltimore had regained the lead with 1:18 to play on Kyle Juszczyk’s 10-yard run to cap a 14-play, 75-yard drive, SBNation reported.

Roethlisberger, who had thrown two interceptions early in the game, drove the Steelers down the field. His third touchdown of the game, a 4-yard pass to Antonio Brown, sealed the victory. Brown caught the ball at the Baltimore 1 and was hit hard by Ravens safety Eric Weddle and linebacker C.J. Mosley.

He ducked his head and stretched the ball across the goal line with his left arm to complete what has been called “The Immaculate Extension.” The score with nine seconds to play gave Pittsburgh a 31-27 victory, their second division title in three years and clinched a playoff berth.

Vikings 29, Bengals 21 (1989)

This was the first regular-season NFL game played on Christmas Day, and the only game during the 1980s played on Dec. 25.

The Vikings won 29-21 in a regular-season finale played on “Monday Night Football,” but the night mostly belonged to Cincinnati quarterback Boomer Esiason. The Bengals’ left-hander set a Christmas Day record by passing for 367 yards, according to NFL.com. On defense, the Vikings’ Chris Doleman recorded a Christmas Day record four sacks.

But it was Wade Wilson and reserve tight end Brent Novoselsky who nailed down the NFC Central title for the Vikings, the Chicago Tribune reported.

The Bengals trailed 22-7 at the half but scored a pair of touchdowns in the second half to trim the Vikings’ lead to one point.

After the Vikings drove down the field, Minnesota coach Jerry Burns declined a field goal and instead went for it on fourth down. Wilson found Novoselsky on a 1-yard pass to clinch the win, as the tight end made an over-the-shoulder catch and tumbled into the right corner of the end zone.

With the victory at the Metrodome, Minnesota clinched the NFC Central title, the Chicago Tribune reported.

‘’Biggest game I`ve ever won in 38 years in coaching,’’ Burns told reporters. ‘’Lot of pressure for everybody. If we didn`t win this game, all hell breaks loose.”

Cardinals 27, Cowboys 26 (2010)

Both teams were 5-10, but the game at University of Phoenix Stadium was exciting and ultimately was decided because of a missed extra point.

Arizona cornerbacks Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (32 yards) and Greg Toler (66 yards) both returned interceptions for touchdowns in the first quarter to give the Cardinals a 14-0 lead, according to Pro-Football-Reference.com. John Skelton tossed his first career touchdown in the second quarter as Arizona padded its lead to 21-3, SBNation reported.

The Cowboys rallied and went ahead with 1:41 left to play when Stephen McGee threw a 37-yard touchdown pass to Miles Austin. But David Buehler missed the extra point. Trailing 26-24, the Cardinals converted on 4th-and-15 when Larry Fitzgerald caught a 26-yard pass. That led to Jay Feely’s 48-yard field goal for the winning score with five seconds to play.