NFL snubs Chiefs’ Christmas wish (but still gives them what they want)

The Kansas City Chiefs originally expressed a desire to become a fixture on Christmas Day. While the National Football League didn't play along with that request when submitted, the truth is that they're giving them a primetime spot on the holiday anyway.

The NFL announced that the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs will be squaring off in a divisional showdown in a potentially crucial matchup in the AFC West race on December 25.

The league loves to reward its broadcast partners with major matchups, and Broncos vs Chiefs is a big win for Amazon Prime, which will be carrying the game on Christmas, per NFL reporter Ian Rapoport.

Much like the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving, the Chiefs were hoping to become the "regular" franchise, so to speak, on Christmas Day broadcasts going forward. However, the NFL said nothing has been decided in that arena. Most recently the NFL's scheduling head, Mike North, said that the league would continue to rotate spots on Christmas—but apparently that rotation plan includes keeping the Chiefs a central part of the schedule.

The NFL, by the way, is not going to back off of Christmas Day broadcasts anytime soon. Approximately 65 million viewers took in the games last year, a slate that included the Chiefs versus the Pittsburgh Steelers in a late-season matchup.

For the Chiefs, playing on Christmas Day last year was not ideal. While the league loves the chance to own the day in terms of viewing audiences, it's a tough ask for players who already play a very physical sport for 17 games over a long and grueling season. The Chiefs had to play on a Wednesday, which forced players to take the field on short rest late in the year.

This year, Christmas falls on a Thursday which means it will feel like a Thursday Night Football game, which is problematic as it is. Teams are only allowed to play a certain amount of TNF games due to the physical toll it takes, so the Chiefs are taking a late-season hit here as well—although it's certainly better than suiting up on a Wednesday.

As for the matchup, the Broncos and Chargers have made the division far more interesting in recent seasons. Denver should be fighting for a playoff spot at the very least in 2025, and optimistic fans are hoping to end the Chiefs' run of supremacy in the AFC West. That means this late-season showdown could make for greater divisional impact than usual.

Like it or not, the Chiefs are here to either bolster or wreck your typical Christmas Day plans, and there's no reason to believe this won't become a common occurrence in seasons to come.