Thu Dec 25 02:50:00 UTC 2025: NFL’s Christmas Slate Turns Coal: Star Players Injured, Teams Underperform
NEW YORK – The NFL’s highly anticipated Christmas Day lineup is shaping up to be a stocking full of lumps of coal, as injuries and disappointing team performances have diminished the excitement surrounding the holiday games. Originally slated to showcase marquee matchups, the three-game slate now features struggling teams and a slew of backup quarterbacks, leaving fans and broadcast partners Amazon and Netflix feeling shortchanged.
The day kicks off with a showdown between the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Commanders. Both teams are out of playoff contention, and Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, who had generated excitement early in the season, is sidelined with an elbow injury. Marcus Mariota may be replaced by Josh Johnson.
The second game features the Detroit Lions and the Minnesota Vikings, two teams that were division rivals last season. Now, the Vikings have been eliminated from playoff contention, and the Lions’ playoff hopes are hanging by a thread. To add insult to injury, the Vikings will be without their top two quarterbacks, with undrafted rookie Max Brosmer set to start.
The Christmas nightcap between the Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs is arguably the most disappointing. The Chiefs are limping into the game with a losing record and without star quarterback Patrick Mahomes who tore his ACL and his replacement Gardner Minshew II. Chris Oladokun, a 2022 seventh-round pick with minimal NFL experience, is expected to take the reins, making the Chiefs a significant underdog against a Broncos team still vying for playoff positioning.
The Broncos are the only team among the six playing on Christmas who will be in the playoffs, unless the Lions have a miraculous rally.
The underwhelming Christmas matchups are a stark contrast to the high expectations set when the schedule was released, leaving many wondering if the NFL dropped the ball on this year’s holiday festivities.
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