Lions-Vikings Christmas game on Netflix sets NFL streaming record, averaging 27.5M viewers

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Minnesota Vikings cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. reacts after the team's win against the Detroit Lions in an NFL football game, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Snoop Dogg performs with HUNTR/X during halftime of an NFL football game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Detroit Lions, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) — Minnesota Vikings cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. reacts after the team's win against the Detroit Lions in an NFL football game, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

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1:29 PM on Wednesday, December 31

The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two of the NFL's three Christmas Day games set viewership records.

The Detroit Lions-Minnesota Vikings late afternoon game on Netflix became the most-streamed NFL game in U.S. history and the Denver Broncos-Kansas City Chiefs night game set a record for Amazon Prime Video.

The Vikings' 23-10 victory over the Lions averaged 27.5 million U.S. viewers, according to Nielsen. The audience peaked at over 30 million. That surpasses the 27.2 million average for last year's Christmas game on Netflix between the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texas, which was also in the late afternoon slot.

The Broncos' 20-13 win over the Chiefs had a 21.06 million average on Prime Video, breaking the network's 19.39 million mark for most-watched “Thursday Night Football” game in the four seasons it has had the package. The audience peaked at 22.9 million during the second quarter.

The first game between the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders averaged 19.9 million. The Cowboys' 30-23 win was sharply down from the 25.8 million that tuned in for last year's early afternoon contest between the Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Figures for the three games also include local market viewing on broadcast stations and viewing on NFL+ via mobile or web viewing.

Netflix and Nielsen said Snoop’s Holiday Halftime Party — which occurred at halftime of the Lions-Vikings game — averaged 29 million.

The two Christmas games on Netflix were streamed globally, with viewers from over 200 countries and territories watching at least one of the games. The Cowboys-Commanders game had a global average of 22.4 million while Lions-Vikings had 30.5 million.

Netflix said its “NFL Christmas Gameday” drew more than 632 million social impressions globally, with Snoop Dogg's halftime show garnering over 100 million impressions. Snoop was the number one trend socially in the U.S. along with Andrea Bocelli, Lainey Wilson and Duck Hodges.

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