The NFL Games on Christmas Day delivered big thrills, even if four of the six teams involved had already been left out of the play-offs. Two of the three games were streamed on Netflix worldwide, with the main one, at least from the sporting interest, the Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings, having musical performances by Snoop Dogg or the KPop Demon Hunters.
In that match, the Detroit Lions were eliminated from play-offs, losing 23-10 to Minnesota, third defeat in a row that finished with their post-season aspirations. However, for many the most emotional match was the one between the Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs, which ended 20-13 for the Broncos, claiming the top spot in the AFC.
The Chiefs, who have dominated the league in the last years, having won the championship in 2020, 2023 and 2024, and reaching the Super Bowl in 2021 and 2025, were already left out from play-offs, the first time since 2014. It is clearly the end of an era, and with Patrick Mahomes out after tearing his ACL last week, all eyes were set on Travis Kelce, on his final match in Kansas City of the year... and maybe his final game with Kansas City Chiefs at his stadium, period (his potential final game would be on January 4 against Las Vegas Raiders).
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The 36-year-old tight end received a longer than usual introduction at the Arrowhead Stadium, with his wife Taylor Swift and his mother in attendance, and after the match, many of the Broncos player went to salute Kelve, including Denver quarter-back Bo Nix.
There was a feeling in the air that this could have been the final season for Kelce, who has never confirmed his intentions to continue next season (but hasn't also confirmed if he will retire). If it's the end, Kelce will retire having played since 2013 at the Chiefs, winning three Super Bowls and being picked four times in the first team of the All-Pro.
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