Which NFL teams have never played on Christmas Day? Which ones have played most?
More NFL teams are checking off the box of playing games on Christmas Day as this year features first-time participants. Which teams have been missing out?
The NFL has held Christmas games intermittently through the years, and there haven’t been all that many. Only a total of 22 Christmas Day games have been played in all of league history. This is due partly to scheduling problems, as the holiday doesn’t always fall on a day when games are usually held.
Not all teams have been lucky enough (or unlucky, depending on one’s perspective) to have played in these special holiday games. Quite a number have never participated in the NFL Christmas celebrations, while some teams have found themselves on the field several times on this day.
Other NFL stories:
Top performers
The team that has brought its fans the most Christmas cheer is the Dallas Cowboys, who have played in five games, including the very first-ever Christmas game in 1971, against the Minnesota Vikings.
The Vikings are next on the list, with four games played. They are tied with the Tennessee Titans, who have also participated four times.
In third place, with three games played apiece, are the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, and Miami Dolphins.
Missing out
After the Cleveland Browns and the Indianapolis Colts played their first Christmas Day games in 2021, ten NFL teams are left without having had the chance to entertain their fans at Christmas time.
This year, however, two other teams will scratch themselves off the list: the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who will play the Arizona Cardinals, and the Los Angeles Rams, who will battle the Denver Broncos in the third Christmas Day game.
NFL teams who still haven’t played on Christmas Day
- Atlanta Falcons
- Buffalo Bills
- Carolina Panthers
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- New England Patriots
- New York Giants
- Seattle Seahawks
- Washington Commanders