Netflix turned Christmas Day into a spectacle of football and festive music as Snoop Dogg and Kelly Clarkson headlined a lineup of high-profile performances during the streaming service’s NFL Christmas Gameday broadcasts.
Snoop Dogg led the halftime show during the Detroit Lions–Minnesota Vikings matchup in Minneapolis, delivering what he had promised fans as “holiday magic Santa can’t fit in a bag.” The performance blended the rapper’s signature hits with classic Christmas songs, transforming the football field into a holiday stage.
The show opened with an appearance by Martha Stewart, Snoop Dogg’s longtime friend and collaborator, who read a playful Christmas introduction. Moments later, a visual transformation revealed Snoop Dogg emerging on the field, joined by a marching band, backup singers, and a choir dressed in festive red and white.
Wearing a long red coat, Snoop addressed the crowd before launching into a holiday-themed set. He was later joined by Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami — the voices behind HUNTR/X from Netflix’s animated film “KPop Demon Hunters” — for a stylized performance of “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”
Country star Lainey Wilson followed, arriving in a glowing sleigh to perform “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,” while Snoop danced alongside her. The show concluded on a more traditional note with opera legend Andrea Bocelli and his son Matteo, who surprised viewers with a rendition of “White Christmas” as artificial snow fell across the stadium.
Standing together at the finale, Snoop Dogg wished viewers a Merry Christmas, closing out one of the most eclectic halftime shows in recent NFL history.
Kelly Clarkson Opens the Holiday Games
Earlier in the day, Kelly Clarkson kicked off Netflix’s Christmas football coverage with a pre-recorded performance of her holiday hit “Underneath the Tree” ahead of the Dallas Cowboys–Washington Commanders game.
Clarkson appeared descending in a sleigh, dressed in a sparkling white gown, and sang in front of a towering Christmas tree set on a snow-covered field. Cheerleaders from the participating teams danced nearby, while NFL players — including quarterbacks Dak Prescott and Jared Goff — made brief cameos during the performance.
Netflix Expands Its Live Event Strategy
Netflix has been steadily expanding into live programming, with Christmas Day NFL games becoming a major pillar of that strategy. Last year marked the streamer’s first time hosting the league’s marquee holiday matchups, which drew a combined 65 million viewers and set new streaming records. Beyoncé headlined one of those games with a halftime performance tied to her “Cowboy Carter” album.
This year’s games aired just hours before the release of the final batch of episodes from Netflix’s hit series “Stranger Things,” underscoring the company’s push to blend live sports, music, and premium entertainment into a single holiday showcase.
