The Buffalo Bills have become a primetime staple in recent years, but could this be the season they finally land a coveted holiday game? With five or more night games in each of the last five seasons and 27 total since 2021 (excluding flexed matchups), the Bills are no strangers to the spotlight. They've also earned 11 games in the coveted 4:25 p.m. window over the past three seasons—a clear sign of NFL success, as these slots feature the weekend's highest-rated broadcasts.
Yet, despite their dominance, the Bills have surprisingly missed out on the league's holiday push. They've never played on Christmas and have hosted a Thanksgiving game just once in recent memory, though they did play on Thanksgiving in three of four seasons from 2019 to 2022. With the NFL's schedule release set for 8 p.m. Thursday, Buffalo may finally be due for a festive showdown.
Why now? The Bills boast the fewest losses since 2019, and Josh Allen has emerged as one of the league's biggest stars. For the second time in his career, Allen led the NFL in jersey sales last year, riding the momentum of his 2024 MVP campaign. Meanwhile, stars like Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs) and Lamar Jackson (Ravens) have dominated holiday slots—Mahomes has played on Christmas three straight years, plus Thanksgiving and Black Friday, while Jackson appeared on consecutive Christmases and hosted Thanksgiving night in 2024. It's only a matter of time before Allen and the Bills join that elite club.
This year's schedule offers several possibilities. The Bills won't play internationally, and with no road games against the Lions or Cowboys, the traditional Thanksgiving afternoon windows are off the table. That leaves Thanksgiving night, Black Friday afternoon, Christmas Eve night, or one of three Christmas Day windows. Given their track record—Buffalo played two Thursday games last year and three in 2022—a Thursday night divisional matchup feels likely. The Bills have faced an AFC East opponent on Thursday in three of the last four seasons, and a clash with a resurgent New England Patriots team would fit any holiday slot. Notably, the Black Friday game has featured an intra-division matchup every year since its inception.
Beyond the Patriots, Buffalo's non-divisional opponents offer intriguing possibilities. The Kansas City Chiefs, for instance, have been a marquee non-holiday matchup, averaging over 30 million viewers in recent years. But with the NFL's holiday slate expanding—including a new Thanksgiving Eve game on Netflix featuring the Packers and Rams—the Bills have plenty of paths to a festive primetime spot.
Whether it's a snowy Christmas battle or a Thanksgiving night thriller, one thing is clear: Josh Allen and the Bills are primed for the holiday stage. Stay tuned—your holiday plans might just include a trip to Orchard Park.