The Kansas City Chiefs have become an integral part of the NFL Christmas Day game schedule over the past two years, thrilling fans with high-profile matchups during the holiday season. As the NFL continues to expand its holiday presence—once dominated by the NBA—Kansas City has made it known they want to be the league’s go-to team for December 25 games. However, the NFL seems reluctant to solidify any such tradition just yet.
Chiefs' Christmas wish may go ungranted as NFL hesitates on making it a tradition
Much like how the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys have long-standing Thanksgiving game traditions, the Chiefs recently submitted a formal request to the NFL, expressing interest in becoming a permanent host team on Christmas Day. The logic is simple: Kansas City is arguably the league’s most marketable franchise at the moment. Between their dominance on the field—frequenting Super Bowls—and the off-field buzz created by stars like Travis Kelce and his high-profile relationship with Taylor Swift, the Chiefs are ratings gold.
Yet, despite the appeal, the NFL is not ready to tie itself to one team. On the “It’s Always Gameday in Buffalo” podcast, Mike North, the NFL’s Vice President of Broadcast Planning and Scheduling, addressed the Chiefs' request and explained the league’s stance.
“For a team like the Chiefs to volunteer for Christmas while they’re busy winning every other Super Bowl or whatever it is, and their tight end is dating the biggest pop star on the planet, sure, the league office would love for the Chiefs to host every year, thanks for volunteering, boys,” North said.
“I’m not sure that’s gonna become a tradition quite the way Thanksgiving is. Think about what it took for that tradition, right? The Lions since the ‘30s, the Cowboys since the ‘60s,” North said. “We didn’t commit to a third site on Thanksgiving when we brought that back about 20 years ago. We’ve rotated that around. I imagine we’re gonna keep rotating Christmas around too.”
The NFL's cautious approach is rooted in its desire to remain agile. Committing to a team for annual holiday games requires considering both short-term popularity and long-term viability. While the Chiefs are currently a juggernaut, North highlighted that the future is unpredictable.
“I know the Chiefs are raising their hands supposedly, but that’s a lot to ask your fans to come out every year on Christmas,” North said. “Certainly, while you’re good and you’re winning AFC West titles and fighting for Super Bowl, it’s an easy give. Five years from now, after Patrick Mahomes retires and they’re not the perennial champion and in every AFC Championship game, I’m not sure we’d want to be married to a site. There are other teams that have raised their hands to become permanent hosts of things like Black Friday or Christmas, thus far we’ve avoided to committing to something like that.”
This year, the NFL is upping the ante with a Christmas Day tripleheader, split between Netflix and Amazon. Kansas City featured in the past two Christmas slates—losing to the Raiders at home in 2023, and bouncing back with a dominant 29-10 win over the Steelers in Pittsburgh last year. But despite their consistent appearances and undeniable entertainment value, they are not guaranteed a repeat slot.
As the NFL prepares to release its official schedule post-draft, fans of the Kansas City Chiefs will be watching closely. Will the reigning AFC powerhouse get the holiday spotlight once again? While the league remains non-committal, one thing is clear: the Chiefs are eager to make Christmas football a Kansas City tradition. Whether the NFL allows it to happen remains a storyline to follow in seasons to come.
Also Read: Jayden Daniels' dance with mom Regina Jackson steals spotlight at Brandon Aiyuk’s wedding
Chiefs' Christmas wish may go ungranted as NFL hesitates on making it a tradition
Much like how the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys have long-standing Thanksgiving game traditions, the Chiefs recently submitted a formal request to the NFL, expressing interest in becoming a permanent host team on Christmas Day. The logic is simple: Kansas City is arguably the league’s most marketable franchise at the moment. Between their dominance on the field—frequenting Super Bowls—and the off-field buzz created by stars like Travis Kelce and his high-profile relationship with Taylor Swift, the Chiefs are ratings gold.
Yet, despite the appeal, the NFL is not ready to tie itself to one team. On the “It’s Always Gameday in Buffalo” podcast, Mike North, the NFL’s Vice President of Broadcast Planning and Scheduling, addressed the Chiefs' request and explained the league’s stance.
“For a team like the Chiefs to volunteer for Christmas while they’re busy winning every other Super Bowl or whatever it is, and their tight end is dating the biggest pop star on the planet, sure, the league office would love for the Chiefs to host every year, thanks for volunteering, boys,” North said.
“I’m not sure that’s gonna become a tradition quite the way Thanksgiving is. Think about what it took for that tradition, right? The Lions since the ‘30s, the Cowboys since the ‘60s,” North said. “We didn’t commit to a third site on Thanksgiving when we brought that back about 20 years ago. We’ve rotated that around. I imagine we’re gonna keep rotating Christmas around too.”
The NFL's cautious approach is rooted in its desire to remain agile. Committing to a team for annual holiday games requires considering both short-term popularity and long-term viability. While the Chiefs are currently a juggernaut, North highlighted that the future is unpredictable.
“I know the Chiefs are raising their hands supposedly, but that’s a lot to ask your fans to come out every year on Christmas,” North said. “Certainly, while you’re good and you’re winning AFC West titles and fighting for Super Bowl, it’s an easy give. Five years from now, after Patrick Mahomes retires and they’re not the perennial champion and in every AFC Championship game, I’m not sure we’d want to be married to a site. There are other teams that have raised their hands to become permanent hosts of things like Black Friday or Christmas, thus far we’ve avoided to committing to something like that.”
This year, the NFL is upping the ante with a Christmas Day tripleheader, split between Netflix and Amazon. Kansas City featured in the past two Christmas slates—losing to the Raiders at home in 2023, and bouncing back with a dominant 29-10 win over the Steelers in Pittsburgh last year. But despite their consistent appearances and undeniable entertainment value, they are not guaranteed a repeat slot.
As the NFL prepares to release its official schedule post-draft, fans of the Kansas City Chiefs will be watching closely. Will the reigning AFC powerhouse get the holiday spotlight once again? While the league remains non-committal, one thing is clear: the Chiefs are eager to make Christmas football a Kansas City tradition. Whether the NFL allows it to happen remains a storyline to follow in seasons to come.
Also Read: Jayden Daniels' dance with mom Regina Jackson steals spotlight at Brandon Aiyuk’s wedding
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