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The first NFL games to be played on Christmas Day came back in 1971. That season featured a pair of playoff matchups falling on the Yuletide.
In each case, the road team would win. One of those contests would go down on record as the league’s longest game ever played.
Since that inaugural campaign, there have been 30 other Christmas Day outings. It’s become more common in recent years with the NFL season now extending beyond the holiday.
The 2025 slate features three Christmas rivalries. It is the fifth consecutive year to have a holiday meeting on the schedule.
7 Best Christmas Performances In NFL History
Of those 32 total matchups, there are a few individual performances that stand out. Here, we’ll go through seven in particular that go down as the best ever seen on Christmas Day.
Let’s start with one of those very first meetings, which occurred between the Chiefs and Dolphins.
Ed Podolak (1971)
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Kansas City and Miami battled in the NFL postseason on Christmas Day in 1971. The Dolphins would emerge victorious with a 27-24 win in double overtime. It is the longest game in league history.
Despite losing, Chiefs running back Ed Podolak totaled nearly 350 all-purpose yards as a rusher, receiver, and return man. He logged 85 yards on the ground, 110 through the air, and 154 on three kickoffs.
Podolak found the endzone twice, but it wasn’t enough to upend Miami. The Dolphins would later lose in the Super Bowl before going undefeated the following year.
Troy Aikman (1995)
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The Cowboys annihilated the Cardinals on Christmas in 1995. Their quarterback had a monster day.
Troy Aikman threw two long first half touchdowns to help his team build a 24-0 lead. He’d finish the contest with a 350-yard performance to land a 37-13 victory.
That win came in the final week of the regular season. Dallas would go onto sweep through the playoffs, beating the Steelers in the Super Bowl to claim an NFL title.
Olandis Gary (1999)
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Gary was a rookie for the Denver Broncos in the 1999 campaign. His inexperience did not stop him from having a big day.
Denver faced off against Lions in Week 16 of the season. The Broncos were not a good team at the time of the meeting, entering at 5-9. They did, however, have an opportunity to ruin Detroit’s playoff standing.
They’d do so thanks to their first-year rusher. Gary toted the rock 29 times for a season-high 185 yards. Denver landed a 17-7 win to send the Lions to 8-7. It was one of four straight losses that ended Detroit’s season following an 8-4 start.
That skid prevented a division crown. The Lions would later lose their playoff opener to Washington as a wildcard team. Denver finished the year 6-10.
Reuben Droughns (2004)
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Droughns was in his final season with the Broncos in 2004, completing a four-year stint with the organization. He saved his best for one of his final games.
Denver traveled to Tennessee to face the Titans on Christmas. They’d leave with a convincing 37-16 win.
The running back ended his evening with more than 120 total yards and three touchdowns, finding the endzone as both a ball carrier and a pass catcher.
That performance helped the team go 10-6 to make the postseason. They’d lose their first playoff matchup to Indianapolis.
Aaron Rodgers (2011)
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Rodgers was coming into his own in Green Bay following back-to-back 10-win seasons. He’d boost his stock further in the 2011 campaign by going 14-1 as a starter.
The quarterback threw for more than 4,600 yards in an MVP season. He had one of his best performances on Christmas Day.
The Packers faced the division rival Bears in Week 16. Aaron Rodgers tossed five touchdowns in a 35-21 win. It would be his final start of the regular season before leading the franchise into the postseason.
Travis Kelce (2016)
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Travis Kelce was still a relative unknown upon entering the season, though he had posted back-to-back 800-yard campaigns the two years prior.
He’d tally his first 1,000-yard season in 2016. His performance on Christmas Day was one of his best.
The tight end racked up 160 receiving yards on 11 catches, both of which represented season-highs. He also found the endzone to help Kansas City earn a 33-10 victory over the Broncos.
Alvin Kamara (2020)
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The Saints roughed up the Vikings on Christmas of 2020 to the tune of a 52-33 smackdown. Alvin Kamara was the biggest reason why.
The versatile weapon had one of the best performances in NFL history, totaling six rushing touchdowns on 22 carries. He totaled more than 170 yards from scrimmage.
New Orleans improved to 11-4 on the year with the win. They’d go onto win their postseason opener before falling in Game 2.