Chiefs push for Christmas Day spotlight, aiming to become the NFL's holiday showstopper

For decades, Thanksgiving has been synonymous with the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys, serving as a staple of the NFL calendar. Now, it appears that Christmas Day could soon have its own permanent team: the Kansas City Chiefs.According to a report from The Athletic, the Chiefs have formally requested that the NFL make them a Christmas Day fixture. "When it comes to domestic standalone games, the Chiefs have requested that the NFL make them a fixture on Christmas Day, according to a league source." This push comes as the Chiefs continue to dominate the league both on the field and in terms of media presence, making them one of the most marketable franchises in recent history.The Chiefs have already played five Christmas games in their history, winning three of them, with their latest victory in 2024. Over the past two years, the Chiefs have been featured on Christmas Day, drawing massive viewership numbers. Their 2023 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers pulled in 24.1 million viewers across Netflix and local CBS stations, reinforcing their status as one of the league’s biggest television draws.The NFL’s commitment to expanding its holiday programming is evident. Since 2020, the league has ensured that at least one game is played on Christmas, despite it being a day traditionally dominated by the NBA. With streaming services like Netflix and Amazon now securing exclusive rights to holiday matchups, the NFL is embracing a new era of digital broadcasting, and the Chiefs are at the forefront of this movement.Beyond their holiday ambitions, the Chiefs could also be heading to Brazil in 2025. The league has announced its second game of the season will be played in São Paulo on September 5, with the Los Angeles Chargers designated as the home team. League sources suggest that Kansas City is the frontrunner to be their opponent.Chiefs owner Clark Hunt has expressed an open willingness to participate in international games, stating, "On playing international games, we’re willing to do it whenever the opportunity presents itself. We don’t have a lot of control over that, except periodically with whatever the rotation (of teams scheduled to play overseas) of the league is at where we can be the home team. We make the league aware every year that we would be delighted to play (an international game), whether as a home team or as an away team. We hope, at some point, we’ll get picked back up."Kansas City has transformed into the NFL’s premier franchise over the past decade. The Chiefs have made five Super Bowl appearances in six years, cementing their dynasty status. Their ability to generate record-breaking television ratings is unmatched, as seen in their recent playoff win over the Houston Texans, which brought in 32.7 million viewers on ESPN—the highest-rated NFL game in the network’s history.Ahead of Thanksgiving last year, the NFL revealed that the Chiefs had been featured in four of the league’s five most-watched games. The league strategically positioned them in marquee standalone games, including Amazon’s first-ever Black Friday matchup against the Raiders and one of Netflix’s Christmas Day showcases.Also Read: Could the tush push be banned next season? Roger Goodell’s comments suggest big changes aheadWith the NFL continuing to expand its holiday presence and international footprint, the Kansas City Chiefs are poised to become a defining force in both arenas. If their request is granted, Christmas Day could soon belong to Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, just as Thanksgiving has long been the domain of the Cowboys and Lions. As the league gears up to announce its international schedule in May, all eyes will be on whether Kansas City will also be making history in Brazil.