The NFL is set to kick off the Christmas Day game slate on an unusual Wednesday as they begin a new partnership with streaming giant Netflix. Two box-office matchups between the Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Houston Texans and the Baltimore Ravens will headline the action.
Additionally, a special halftime show which see the return of Beyoncé to the NFL stage, while Voice of Service and Pentatonix will sing the national anthem for the two games. But beyond the extravagance, the initial kickoff point will be a special edition of NFL Christmas GameDay featuring a wide variety of personalities on the crew.
Let’s break it all down.
What Time Will NFL Christmas GameDay Air?
The pregame segment will have two crews in place to discuss the action. One contingent, airing live from Acrisure Stadium, will be available before the game between the Steelers and the Chiefs kicks off at 1 p.m. ET.
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The other, from the Los Angeles studio, will dissect the action in a studio setting. Going all out for the Netflix crossover, a two-hour show is planned for all, with a rich cast of analysts, insiders, and even comedians on set.
Here’s the entire list of hosts present for the show.
NFL Christmas GameDay Crew
On the Los Angeles side of things, the crew is as follows:
Host | Kay Adams
A regular voice for longtime NFL fans, Kay Adams hosted Good Morning Football on the NFL Network for over six years, beginning in 2016. She left the network in 2022 but has remained in the space.
Aligning with FanDuel TV, Adams began her own show, Up & Adams, which often sees correspondence from ESPN’s Senior NBA Insider Shams Charania. With the Christmas Day pre-game, Adams is ready to make her return to the Network, albeit in a limited capacity.
Analyst | Drew Brees
One of the greatest quarterbacks of his generation, Drew Brees has taken to the sports media landscape like white on rice.
Immediately after retirement, Brees took on a role with NBC Sunday Night Football. Simultaneously, he was the main color analyst for Notre Dame games and worked the booth alongside Mike Tirico on Football Night in America.
Analyst | Robert Griffin III
One of the pioneers of the dual-threat quarterback, Robert Griffin III’s premature end to his career saw him seize the opportunity to join ESPN as a college football analyst and NFL Live. One key reason for choosing the model was that it would allow him to pick up a playing opportunity if it ever arose.
Griffin quickly saw success in the role and became the successor to Randy Moss on the Monday Night Countdown show in 2022. While he was a regular for nearly two years on the show, Griffin was let go in a series of mass firings by ESPN in August 2024.
Analyst | Manti Te’o
One of NFL Network’s newest members, Manti Te’o joined the network in August 2024 and became a regular part of programming. A fantasy football enthusiast and expert, Te’o has quickly become a fan favorite, given his empowering story and unique perspective.
Now, he’s a regular on Good Morning Football and the GMFB Overtime show, appearing as an analyst.
Analyst | Mina Kimes
One of the fastest-rising stars in the sports media landscape, Mina Kimes has quickly grown into her own with various projects. A writer for Fortune and Bloomberg News before joining ESPN, Kimes’ work with the market leader has been sensational. Now a senior writer with the team, she’s also become an active analyst for them.
A regular on all programming, including First Take, The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz, and Pardon the Interruption, among others, Kimes hosted ESPN Daily for nearly a year before transitioning to the newly relaunched NFL Live.
While these five will hold it down in the LA studio, a three-person team will be taking over in Pittsburgh.
Host | Laura Rutledge
A constant on ESPN programming, Laura Rutledge has been with the team since 2014 after a stint with Fox Sports. In the decade to follow, Rutledge has carved out a niche for herself, especially in the college football landscape. After a three-year run as the host of SEC Nation, she effectively took over as the voice of ESPN, where football was concerned.
In August 2020, Rutledge became the host of ESPN’s premier NFL show, NFL Live, while maintaining her collegiate position.
Analyst | Devin McCourty
Devin McCourty was an integral part of the New England Patriots dynasty, winning three Super Bowls with them while becoming the defensive player with the most starts in NFL history.
Since his retirement in 2022, McCourty has taken on the life of a color commentator. In collaboration with NBC, he’s a regular on their Football Night in America programming. He also hosts a podcast with his twin brother called Double Coverage with the McCourty Twins.
Analyst | Jason McCourty
Since retiring, Jason McCourty has followed in his brother’s footsteps in sports media. Immediately, he joined NFL Network as an analyst on Good Morning Football. Simultaneously, he also joined Thursday Night Football radio broadcasts for Westwood One.
Since then, McCourty has broadened out further. When the show moved from New York to LA, he joined ESPN as a studio analyst, appearing on shows like Get Up, First Take, and NFL Live. Additionally, he continues to be a full-time analyst for CBS, working alongside Andrew Catalon and Tiki Barber.
Tailgate Correspondent | Bert Kreischer
As the gap between sports and entertainment further diminishes with the NFL’s deal with Netflix, the league is leaning into the mainstream appeal of the event. As a result, notable comedian Bert Kreischer is taking over the Jason Kelce role for the NFL.
The often shirtless comedian will be seen around the parking lot at Acrisure Stadium among the grilling and drinking crowd.
Special Guest Commentary | Nate Bargatze
Nate Bargatze, who recently released a new stand-up special on Netflix, will also be in the booth. His role as a special guest commentator should ensure some hilarity during the proceedings.
Moreover, Bargatze’s presence might help draw a more casual audience to the product, further building the relationship between the sport and Netflix.