Detroit Lions Schedule Release: The NFL is doing the Lions, their fans, and local media a major favor this coming season

Enjoy the time with your family that the NFL is giving you for the holidays. You never know when they might take it back

Mike Payton — Detroit Lions Beat Writer
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Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) waves at fans as he exits the field after 44-22 win over Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md. on Sunday, November 9, 2025. Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Merry Christmas in May, Detroit Lions players, fans, and media. This year, your Christmas present is that you don’t have to watch the Lions on Christmas, and you can instead spend that time with your family.

The Lions are officially not playing on Christmas

This year, the Lions will play the New York Giants on Monday Night Football on December 28th, while the Packers, Bears, Rams, Seahawks, Broncos, and an unnamed team will play all the Christmas games the previous Friday.

The bonus here is that since New Year’s Eve is on that follwing Thursday and Friday, there is no way the NFL would make the Lions have a short week like that. Plus, they’re rumored to be playing the Bears at 4:25 PM on Sunday, the third.

So Lions players, fans, and media will get all the holidays off after Christmas. At least the fans will for sure. The Players and media might be in the building for a practice on Christmas, but I’m assuming the Lions probably take the day off instead and then come back on the 26th for one more practice ahead of their matchup with New York. We’ll see.

Either way, thank you, NFL, because last year sucked for everyone. There was nothing fun about watching football on Christmas, or in some of our cases, working on Christmas. Plus, the Pistons could be playing this year. So let’s watch that instead.

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