In a surprising turn of events, the NFL has decided to schedule a Christmas game in 2024, despite previously stating that it would not. This decision comes less than four months after the league’s executive vice president for media distribution, Hans Schroeder, expressed that playing on a Tuesday or Wednesday did not align with the league’s interests, especially as the postseason approaches. Schroeder had emphasized the importance of focusing on the playoff race and maintaining competitive equity, ruling out the possibility of Tuesday or Wednesday games at that late stage in the year.
However, CBS Sports’ lead NFL insider, Jonathan Jones, has revealed that not only will the NFL host a game on Christmas Wednesday, but it will also schedule a doubleheader, offering fans two games to enjoy on the holiday. This marks a significant shift from the league’s previous stance and adds an exciting twist to the NFL calendar.
Historically, the NFL has seldom scheduled games on Wednesdays, making the upcoming Christmas doubleheader a rare occurrence. Since 1949, the league has only scheduled a Wednesday game once before, in 2012, when the New York Giants hosted the Dallas Cowboys. This move was made to avoid a clash with the Democratic National Convention. Another Wednesday game took place in 2020, when the Ravens-Steelers matchup was postponed due to COVID-19 concerns.
The decision to hold two games on a Wednesday is unprecedented since 1936, according to Pro Football Reference. This bold move by the NFL underscores the league’s willingness to adapt and cater to its audience’s interests, especially considering the massive success of Christmas games in the past. In 2023, the NFL’s Christmas tripleheader attracted an average of 28.7 million viewers, with all three games ranking among the top 10 most-watched regular-season games of the year.
Teams participating in the Christmas doubleheader will have a tight schedule, playing on Saturday in Week 16 before taking the field again for the Christmas game in Week 17. This scheduling decision reflects the NFL’s commitment to keeping the holiday tradition alive and thriving.
Since 1989, the NFL has featured regular-season games on Christmas, but it wasn’t until 2020 that the league began hosting them annually. The upcoming doubleheader will mark the fifth consecutive year that the NFL has celebrated the holiday with special game-day festivities, continuing a tradition that has grown increasingly popular among fans.