The NFL has always been somewhat reluctant to schedule games on Christmas in the past.
Not anymore.
Counting this season, the NFL will have played 32 games on Christmas, including five in the last two seasons.
Commissioner Roger Goodell has clearly made it a priority of his to take Christmas away from the NBA.
As the tradition grows in popularity the National Football League is increasingly keen to stage a number of marquee matchups on Christmas Day.
This year will feature a double-header of games that includes the Chiefs vs Steelers and Ravens vs. Texans.
All will be hoping to avoid the unenviable record held by the 2000 Dallas Cowboys, who remain the only NFL team in history to be completely shut-out on December 25th.
The Tennessee Titans delivered a 31-0 Yuletide demolition to the Cowboys in the first Christmas game of the new millennium.
The tone was set early on when Steve McNair orchestrated a 74-yard drive capped by a 17-yard TD pass to Derrick Mason.
Despite the one-sided scoreline, things didn’t get completely disastrous for Dallas until the third quarter.
The Titans turned four third-quarter turnovers into 24 points, with just one field-goal converted for the rest of the game.
That season the Titans dominated the AFC Central division, winning it for the first time in seven years with a 13-3 record.
They secured home field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs but eventually lost 24-10 to the Ravens in the divisional round.
The Cowboys, meanwhile, had a season to forget, finishing last in the NFC East with a 5-11 record. The only highlight that year was running Emmitt Smith having his 10th consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season.
America’s Team doesn’t play on Christmas Day this year, but will play against the Eagles in Philadelphia on the 29th.
Sitting at 7-8, Dallas has been eliminated from postseason contention, but have been playing well as of late, winning five out of their last six, without starting quarterback Dak Prescott.
Head coach Mike McCarthy has his team playing inspired ball, even with not much on the line.
In doing so, he’s all but saved his job, as there was speculation whether or not owner Jerry Jones would look elsewhere for a new voice to lead the team into next season.
While it wasn’t the season the Cowboys were expecting, the fight they’ve displayed in the last month is impressive.
This Christmas, kick your feet up, don’t worry about your team, and enjoy watching Patrick Mahomes, Russell Wilson, Lamar Jackson and C.J. Stroud.