Green Bay Packers Set To Clash With Hated Division Rival On Christmas Day
The Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears may be adding another memorable chapter to the NFL’s oldest rivalry.
According to multiple reports, Green Bay is expected to travel to Chicago on Christmas Day for a late-season matchup that will reportedly air exclusively on Netflix. If confirmed during the NFL schedule release, it would mark the second straight season the Packers and Bears meet near the end of the year with major playoff implications potentially on the line.
Green Bay Packers and Bears Could Headline Christmas Day NFL Slate
The reported matchup would take place at Soldier Field and is expected to be one of Netflix’s featured NFL broadcasts this season.
The NFL has aggressively expanded its streaming partnerships in recent years, and the Packers continue to be one of the league’s most valuable television draws. Green Bay already reportedly has another Netflix-exclusive game scheduled for the Wednesday before Thanksgiving against the Los Angeles Rams.
That means the Packers could become one of the central teams in the NFL’s push toward streaming-exclusive holiday games. The Christmas matchup would also be unique because Christmas falls on a Friday this season, creating an unusual holiday football window for the league. According to reports, kickoff is expected to be around noon Central Time.
Rivalry Has Regained Serious Intensity
This game would carry extra intrigue after how last season ended. The Bears defeated the Packers in the playoffs earlier this year, snapping Green Bay’s extended dominance in the rivalry and shifting momentum back toward Chicago. The loss immediately increased pressure on Matt LaFleur’s team entering the offseason while giving Bears fans renewed confidence in the direction of the franchise.
The rivalry itself remains the most-played matchup in NFL history, with over 200 meetings between the two franchises dating back to 1921. For years, Green Bay largely controlled the series behind quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers and Brett Favre. However, recent meetings have started to feel more competitive as Chicago continues rebuilding its roster. Now, the NFL appears ready to showcase the rivalry on one of the sport’s biggest regular-season stages.
Christmas Day Game Could Have Massive NFC North Implications
The timing of the matchup may be just as important as the holiday spotlight. Late December games between divisional rivals often carry playoff implications, and the NFC North once again projects to be one of the NFL’s toughest divisions. Green Bay, Chicago, the Detroit Lions, and Minnesota Vikings all enter the season with postseason expectations.
That makes a Christmas Day Packers-Bears matchup potentially enormous for playoff seeding or even the division crown. It also continues a recent scheduling trend for Green Bay. The Packers have increasingly become one of the NFL’s preferred teams for primetime games, holiday showcases, and streaming-exclusive broadcasts because of their national fanbase and television ratings appeal.
NFL Clearly Believes Packers-Bears Still Delivers Big Ratings
Even after more than 100 years, the rivalry still carries enormous national interest. The NFL’s decision to reportedly place Packers-Bears on Christmas Day shows the league still views the matchup as one of its marquee television products. Between the history, playoff implications, and growing tension between the two teams, the game has all the ingredients for another classic installment in the rivalry.
If the reports become official, Packers fans may want to start planning their Christmas schedule now.