TRZ Ad

Everyone Made The Same Annoying Complaint About Netflix’s NFL Christmas Day Broadcast

This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.

Kay Adams and Dak Prescott on Netflix
Kay Adams and Dak Prescott (Photo via Netflix)

Netflix’s first big NFL Christmas Day broadcast didn’t go over well with fans. The streaming platform aired Cowboys vs. Commanders and Lions vs. Vikings, but many viewers said the experience ruined the action.

Netflix brought in plenty of familiar faces for the Christmas games. Kay Adams hosted the studio show, joined by Michael Irvin, Austin Ekeler, and Jason McCourty. Ian Eagle, Nate Burleson, and Matt Ryan called the early game, while Noah Eagle and Drew Brees handled the night game. On paper, the lineup looked strong. Fans felt the execution missed the mark.

Viewers complained that there was too much talking and not enough football. Netflix aired live interviews while plays were happening. Legends like Emmitt Smith, Barry Sanders, and Cris Carter popped on screen during drives. Many fans said this distracted from the action and broke the flow of the game.

The criticism spread quickly on social media. Basically, no one can understand why the NFL trusted Netflix with live games at all. Netflix signed a three-year deal in May 2023 to carry Christmas Day games, making this only its second holiday run with the league.

Fans Blame Netflix’s NFL Coverage

Netflix christmas games coverage
Kay Adams during Netflix Christmas day games coverage (Photo By Geoff Burke-Imagn Images)

Fans did not hold back.

One viewer wrote on X, “These former player Zoom interviews while game is being played are a terrible idea.”

Another added, “Why is it every time @Netflix does an NFL game I feel the need to post about how terrible their broadcast is?”

Some fans attacked the production quality. One post read, “These Netflix NFL broadcasts are amateurish. The in game interviews are a disaster. The scorebug looks like it was made by cheap AI.”

Others said the nonstop talk left them confused. “There is constant talking and interviewing over a game and not commenting on the actual play,” one viewer wrote. “This is not football.”

Several fans aimed their anger at the league itself. “Hey @NFL stop selling games to @netflix. They can’t handle it,” one post said.

Netflix entered live sports with massive ambition. Christmas Day gave the streamer a huge stage for fulfilling their dream. But for many NFL fans, the league’s gamble felt like a miss.

Teams