The NFL is on Netflix because the league sold exclusive Christmas Day streaming rights to Netflix in a multi‑year, high‑dollar deal that helps both sides: Netflix gets premium live sports to grow subscribers and advertising, and the NFL gets new revenue and a bigger global streaming footprint.

What exactly is on Netflix?

  • Netflix does not have every NFL game; it has exclusive rights to select Christmas Day matchups under a three‑year agreement.
  • In 2025, that means a Christmas doubleheader (for example, Cowboys–Commanders and Lions–Vikings) that you can only watch on Netflix, not traditional broadcast TV.

Why the NFL wants Netflix

  • The NFL is using streaming‑only games (Amazon’s Thursday night, Peacock’s playoff game, now Netflix’s Christmas slate) to drive up the value of its media rights and tap into cord‑cutters who no longer have cable.
  • Partnering with a platform that has hundreds of millions of global subscribers lets the league reach more international viewers and experiment with new presentation formats and added entertainment, like big musical performances built into the broadcast.

Why Netflix wants the NFL

  • Live NFL games give Netflix rare, appointment‑viewing content that can boost sign‑ups, reduce churn, and strengthen its new ad‑supported tier by selling high‑value ad slots around one of TV’s most reliable ratings draws.
  • The Christmas games are a relatively contained, high‑profile test that lets Netflix prove it can handle live sports at scale without overhauling its entire service around a full season package.

How this fits the bigger trend

  • Other streamers (Amazon, Peacock, ESPN+) already host exclusive NFL or major sports packages, and the NFL–Netflix deal is another step in the broader shift of marquee sports from cable toward streaming‑only events.
  • Industry coverage has even floated that Netflix could pursue a larger Sunday package in the future, which would further reshape how and where fans watch the league.

Quick scoop TL;DR

  • Netflix is paying roughly nine‑figure money per year for a three‑year window of exclusive Christmas Day NFL games.
  • The NFL gains new revenue and global reach; Netflix gains prestige live sports to power subscriber growth and its ad business.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.