I’ve watched a lot of NFL games over the years, but this Christmas Day felt different. Netflix didn’t just stream football, it reframed it. With Kelly Clarkson setting a festive tone before kickoff and Snoop Dogg promising “music, love and good vibes” during halftime, the streamer turned its NFL Christmas doubleheader into a pop culture moment that felt bigger than the sport itself.

Kelly Clarkson welcomed more than fans

Before a single snap was thrown, Netflix signaled its intentions: this wasn’t going to be regular football coverage. Kelly Clarkson kicked off the Christmas NFL broadcast with her holiday classic “Underneath the Tree,” blending seasonal cheer with pregame excitement.

In a broadcast world where kickers and quarterbacks usually set the tone, choosing Kelly as an opener felt like Netflix saying, this is a broadcast for everyone. Not just sports fans. Not just holiday viewers. Everyone.

Snoop Dogg delivered on his promise

And then came Snoop’s Holiday Halftime Party — precisely the spectacle Netflix teased. In statements circulating before the game, Snoop promised that “NFL, Netflix and your uncle Snoop on Christmas Day? We’re servin’ up music, love and good vibes for the whole world to enjoy. That’s the kind of holiday magic Santa can’t fit in a bag.”

The result wasn’t a routine break in action. It was a halftime show built like a standalone event, with Snoop bringing his legendary catalog and holiday energy to the middle of a Lions vs. Vikings matchup. Guest performers such as country star Lainey Wilson and voices from Netflix’s KPOP Demon Hunters added unexpected diversity to the set, proving this wasn’t just football entertainment, it was cultural crossover live on global stream.

Watching Snoop on a football stage, surrounded by festive decor, backup singers, and rising artists, felt like watching a halftime show that belonged someplace bigger than a game. Part celebration. Part tradition. Fully modern.

Not everyone was on board, and that’s kind of the point

Of course, this approach wasn’t universally loved. Social platforms lit up with complaints about Netflix’s broadcast feeling busy or disorganized, with segments and analysis that some viewers felt distracted from the game itself.

But here’s the thing: Netflix didn’t just stumble into this. It seems to be embracing experimentation. Streamers succeed by trying new things, even if not every fan celebrates every choice.

What this means for football on television

This Christmas broadcast wasn’t just about ratings or reach. It was a reminder that today’s audiences expect shared experiences, not just play-by-play coverage. NFL games are media events now, and platforms like Netflix are leaning into that reality. By adding musical performances from stars like Clarkson and Snoop, the streamer made its Christmas Day coverage feel like something you talk about. That’s no small feat in a world where every game already feels like a story.

And whether or not you loved the approach, the mix of commentary, celebrity presence, halftime glamour and athletic competition, the conversation around NFL broadcasts just expanded. Football stopped being a passive backdrop and became a destination again.

The bigger picture

Snoop Dogg didn’t just appear on Netflix’s Christmas NFL games. He reframed them. Football was still the anchor, the reason millions tuned in, but the broadcast felt like an experience. That’s a shift, not just a spectacle.

Love it or question it, this experiment signals something clear: holiday football can be more than tradition. It can be event television, something that resonates far beyond the final whistle.