In a streaming holiday miracle, NFL fans flocked to Netflix on Christmas Day, with 65 million viewers tuning in for two games, making it a record-breaking festive binge—just a few million shy of last year's cable binge.

With 65 million viewers glued to their screens for NFL matchups on Netflix, this landmark Christmas Day event underscored the growing trend of streaming sports, even if it fell slightly short of last year’s cable records. The Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers drew impressive numbers, while a Beyoncé halftime performance boosted viewership to over 27 million, proving that the combination of touchdowns and pop divas might just be the ultimate holiday gift—unless you’re still holding out for a cable subscription.

The first matchup featured the Baltimore Ravens triumphing over the Houston Texans, scoring a lopsided 31-2 victory. Despite the rough score, the game did not seem to deter viewers, as it averaged 24.3 million fans. The spectacle of watching the Ravens' defense shut down the Texans seemed to attract a good number of dedicated onlookers, many of whom were likely waiting for the halftime show. What better way to distract from a dismal score than to introduce the Queen herself—Beyoncé? Her performance saw viewership surge to over 27 million, making a case for more halftime shows featuring global superstars playing their greatest hits instead of punting teams scoring points.

The second game of the day saw the Kansas City Chiefs face off against the Pittsburgh Steelers, where the Chiefs secured a 29-10 victory. This matchup drew an average of 24.1 million viewers, proving that football fans can find excitement even in the most mundane scoring games. Both games combined to become the most streamed NFL games in U.S. history, a fact that's sure to revolutionize Christmas dinners for generations to come—one can now discuss how they spent their holiday watching a hard-hitting sport rather than pretending to enjoy a rerun of a family favorite sitcom.

NFL executive vice president of media distribution Hans Schroeder praised the unprecedented viewership, noting that fans from all 50 states and over 200 countries tuned in. This level of international engagement with American football is simply astounding. Perhaps the fact that viewers could stream the games comfortably from their couches, armed with a plate of Christmas cookies, contributed to the universal appeal of the event. Rather than braving the winter cold to attend a game in person, families could gather around and expect nothing less than world-class football interspersed with shimmering performances by pop music royalty.

However, the streaming bonanza didn't come without its slight disappointments. The Christmas Day games attracted 5 million fewer viewers than the previous year's broadcasts on cable and broadcast channels. It's as if Netflix had crafted a brilliant strategy to lure viewers from their classic holiday habits, but unfortunately, not everyone was willing to say goodbye to the television set they grew up with. Meanwhile, this year's figures brought in impressive numbers compared to NFL's past streaming ventures—previously, the highest numbers hit around 23 million viewers for a wild card playoff game on Peacock. Clearly, the partnership between the NFL and Netflix is a decent upgrade for a sport traditionally viewed using a more basic viewing infrastructure.

Explaining this partnership, Netflix paid $150 million to carry the NFL games through 2026 as part of their three-year deal. Bela Bajaria, Netflix’s chief content officer, described the event as the best Christmas gift they could have delivered. The matchups included the Baltimore Ravens’ win over the Houston Texans and the Kansas City Chiefs against the Pittsburgh Steelers, which attracted about 65 million combined viewers on Christmas Day.

As fans reminisce about this series of landmark games, they can feel good knowing they witnessed history. About 65 million combined viewers watched a pair of NFL games on Christmas Day. These two matchups, featuring remarkable athletic performances and musical entertainment, have set records as the most streamed NFL games in U.S. history. So buckle up for future Christmas days, where you might want to put in a request for more superstar halftime shows.