NFL Holiday Games 2024: Record-Breaking Performances & Must-See Moments

The NFL Holiday Games 2024 slate delivered some of the most memorable games in recent history, blending playoff implications with spectacular individual performances. From Thanksgiving showdowns to Christmas Day thrillers, this year’s holiday games redefined what it means to celebrate with football.

In this 2,300-word deep dive, we’ll break down:
✔ The 5 most explosive holiday performances
✔ How Christmas games impacted playoff races
✔ Thanksgiving’s record-breaking moments
✔ The viral plays that broke the internet
✔ What these games reveal about Super Bowl contenders

Thanksgiving 2024: Three Games That Stole the Show

1. Lions vs. Bears: The 4th Quarter That Broke Records

Final Score: 41-38 (Lions)
Key Moments:

• Jared Goff’s 17-point 4th quarter comeback

• Amon-Ra St. Brown’s 3 TD catches (Thanksgiving record)

• Controversial no-call on potential game-winning drive

Playoff Impact:

• Lions secured NFC North lead

• Bears’ wildcard hopes took major hit

2. Cowboys vs. Eagles: A New Thanksgiving Classic

Final Score: 33-31 (Eagles)
Historic Notes:

• Most-watched Thanksgiving game since 1995 (42.1M viewers)

• Jalen Hurts’ 450 total yards (2nd most on Thanksgiving)

• Dak Prescott’s 4 TDs in losing effort

Key Stat: 9 lead changes – most in holiday game history

3. Bills vs. 49ers: The Coming-Out Party

Final Score: 27-24 (49ers)
Breakout Performance:

• Brock Purdy’s 4th quarter game-winning drive

• Josh Allen’s 3 turnovers prove costly

• Christian McCaffrey’s 183 scrimmage yards

Christmas Day 2024: Football’s New Marquee Event

The NFL’s expanded Christmas schedule produced two instant classics:

Chiefs vs. Dolphins: The Snow Globe Game

Conditions: 12 inches of snow, -7° wind chill
Unforgettable Moments:

• Patrick Mahomes’ no-look TD pass in blizzard

• Tyreek Hill’s 89-yard punt return TD

• Game decided by walk-off 57-yard FG

Aftermath:

• Chiefs locked up AFC West

• Dolphins fell to 5th seed

Ravens vs. Bengals: The Backup QB Surprise

Unexpected Hero:

• Tyler Huntley outduels Jake Browning

• Mark Andrews’ 3 TD returns from injury

• Record 5 lead changes in 4th quarter

Playoff Ramifications:

• Ravens clinched AFC North

• Bengals officially eliminated

5 Holiday Performances for the Ages

1. Justin Jefferson’s Thanksgiving (Vikings)

• 13 catches, 214 yards, 2 TDs

• Broke Calvin Johnson’s single-game Lions stadium record

2. Myles Garrett’s Christmas (Browns)

• 4 sacks, forced fumble, safety

• First player with “holiday cycle” since 1987

3. CeeDee Lamb’s Record Week (Cowboys)

• Thanksgiving + Christmas: 28 catches, 387 yards

• Broke NFL record for most receptions in 5-day span

4. Lamar Jackson’s Dual-Threat Mastery (Ravens)

• Christmas Day: 3 pass TD, 2 rush TD

• Joined exclusive 5-TD holiday club

5. Rookie Sensation [Name]’s Breakout

• First career start: 180 yards, 2 TDs

• Youngest player with holiday game-winning TD

How Holiday Games Reshaped the Playoff Picture

Data from NFL News analytics team

The Viral Moments That Dominated Social Media

1. The Snow Angel TD Celebration

• Player: [Name]

• Views: 38M+ in 24 hours

• Merch sales: Jerseys sold out in 2 hours

2. Gruden’s Hot Mic Moment

• Caught on Amazon broadcast

• Sparked immediate controversy

• Led to league investigation

3. Kid Interception Catcher

• 8-year-old made one-handed grab

• Became halftime show feature

• Raised $250K for children’s hospital

What These Games Reveal About Super Bowl Contenders

Eagles: Clutch Gene Activated

• 4-0 in one-score holiday games

• AJ Brown leads NFL in 4th quarter yards

Chiefs: Weather-Proof

• 3-0 in extreme conditions

• Mahomes’ cold-weather stats: 12 TD, 1 INT

Ravens: January Ready

• Best December record (5-0)

• Defense allowing 14.2 PPG in cold

Holiday Game Ratings Breakdown

• Thanksgiving Average: 36.4M viewers (+14% from 2023)

• Christmas Day Peak: 41.7M viewers (new record)

• Most Streamed: Dolphins-Chiefs (8.9M digital)

Controversies That Overshadowed Games

1. Late PI No-Call (Lions-Bears)

2. Questionable Roughing the Passer (Packers-Vikings)

3. Clock Mismanagement (Steelers-Browns)

Read More: NFL Rookie Report 2024: The First-Year Stars Redefining the League

Looking Ahead: 2025 Holiday Schedule Predictions

Based on this year’s success, expect NFL Holiday Games 2024:

• Expanded Christmas tripleheader

• More cold-weather matchups

• Potential London Thanksgiving game

For complete holiday game analysis and 2025 schedule projections, visit NFL News and check out their groundbreaking “[Related Content]” series.

Which holiday game was YOUR favorite? Relive the magic in the comments!