Lions set to play Vikings on Christmas Day, per reports
Rey Del Rio/AP
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26) runs against the Minnesota Vikings during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Rey Del Rio)
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (WXYZ) — The Detroit Lions have been a Thanksgiving tradition for generations, and this season, the Lions will also be playing on Christmas Day.
According to reports from Ben Goessling with The Minnesota Star Tribune and Jordan Schultz with Fox Sports, the Lions will travel to Minnesota to face the Vikings on Christmas Day this year.
A kick-off time and broadcast details have yet to be announced. Last season, the NFL games on Christmas Day aired exclusively on Netflix.
The 2025 season will be the first season the Lions play on both Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day since 1999.
Since Dan Campbell was hired in 2021, the Lions have a 6-2 record against the Vikings, winning every contest against the NFC North rival since Sept. of 2022. Last season, the Lions won, 31-29, in Minnesota, before beating the Vikings, 31-9, in January. All-time, the Vikings have the advantage in the rivalry, boasting an 80-45-2 record across 127 games.
Ahead of tonight's full NFL schedule release (8 p.m. EST), this is the second game on the Lions schedule reported today. Fox Sports reported earlier this morningthat the Lions would travel to Green Bay to face the Packers in Week 1, with that game reportedly set to kick-off at 4:25 p.m. EST on Sunday, Sept. 7.
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