Five NFL Teams Decline To Mention Christmas On, You Know, Christmas Day

It cannot be denied that December 25, 2025 is Christmas Day. And the NFL and most of its teams marked the day by wishing its fans a merry Christmas on social media.

That's right … most teams. Not all.

While a vast majority of the NFL's teams and the NFL itself wished fans a merry Christmas or the combination of merry Christmas and happy holidays, five teams skipped the mention of Christmas.

The Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets went along the happy holidays route on social media, showing an apparent reticence to shutout Christmas.

Falcons At Least Mention Christmas

The Atlanta Falcons didn't wish their fans a merry Christmas but posted a Kirk Cousins video discussing his meals on Christmas, which isn't exactly a celebration of the day and its meaning, but we're offering the benefit of the doubt here.

The Falcons sort of got in the general ballpark by putting Christmas out there as something of an aside.

But why did five teams ignore the mention of Christmas altogether? 

Years ago, President Donald Trump gave voice to the belief there was a war on Christmas, a belief reflected in polling at the time. Some people agreed because they see how Christian symbols or holidays are sidelined in order to not "offend" or in the name of inclusion.

That's obviously not an issue with the NFL's social media account and the 26 teams that sent out full-on and unapologetic Christmas wishes Thursday. 

Five Teams Take Happy Holiday route

But then there are the dissenters. The happy holidays teams.

The Jets are among those teams, and they made some interesting choices in not mentioning Christmas.

It's not a religious thing, we think. Because the team includes in its Happy Holiday greeting a fully lit menorah. This, despite the fact Hanukkah was Dec. 14 to Dec. 22 this year.

The Jets also recognized Hanukkah on their social media platforms at sundown on Dec. 14. 

But the Christian holiday got some white-bearded dude staring into a Manhattan store window at the menorah, a wreath and miniature versions of the Statue of Liberty, the city's skyline, and MetLife Stadium.

Yeah, nothing is a celebration of the holiday like MetLife Stadium.

New York Giants Merry Christmas

The Jets approach pales in comparison to what the New York Giants did.

The Giants obviously know Dec. 25 is Christmas.

The Colts, meanwhile, not only declined to wish their fans a merry Christmas, they took a weird route altogether by doing their version of a Home Alone story.

Their cartoon caricatures in their story depicted players from other teams failing at getting to a Colts' player who laid traps for them at home.

Yes, trying too hard.

And the effort badly misses the mark  because the team wrote, "happy holidays you filthy animals" as its message to fans.

Merry Christmas, Filthy Animals

Except the correct quote in Home Alone 2, as delivered by actor Macaulay Culkin is "Merry Christmas, you filthy animals."

So, yeah, the Colts social media admin is doing a worse job than the team's defense. 

Predictably, the replies in the Colts' timeline did not embrace the approach. 

The Denver Broncos simply wished their fans Happy Holidays on one post. And merry gameday on another post.

But no mention of Christmas.

Panthers Fail The Bible Belt

The Carolina Panthers serve a region of the country known as the Bible Belt. There are churches on every other corner in Carolina. 

And, yes, Christmas recognizes Christian values and celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ.

But the Panthers chose to wish their fans a happy holidays and leave it at that.

Almost predictably, their fans that replied to the post noted that Christmas was not mentioned.

But then we have the other end of the Christmas spectrum.

Johnson Plays 'On Day Jesus Was Born'

Washington Commanders quarterback Josh Johnson is starting on Christmas Day against the Dallas Cowboys.

The Commanders have struggled to a 4-11 season. They are without starting quarterback Jayden Daniels. They are without backup quarterback Marcus Mariota.

So Johnson is making only his 10th start of his 18-year NFL career. Johnson is a survivor. He's played on 14 NFL teams and obviously he is not a star but this Christmas, circumstances have made him a starter.

And on Netflix's nationally streamed broadcast of the game, Johnson said he was grateful for the opportunity to play "on the day Jesus was born."

Merry Christmas.