When the Dallas Cowboys play on a holiday, it can be expected there will be plenty of theatrics to help "America's Team" put on a show.
In 2025, as the Cowboys were scheduled to take on the Washington Commanders on Christmas Day, the singer of a popular Christmas tune was booked for a Netflix performance prior to kickoff between the NFC East squads. Talk show host and inaugural "American Idol" winner Kelly Clarkson will be on Netflix's broadcast with a performance of her Christmas hit, “Underneath the Tree."
As it turns out, Clarkson will have a key connection to the game that follows her performance, as she's a well-known fan of the Cowboys.
Here's what to know about Kelly Clarkson's hometown and how it connects to her NFL fandom.
MORE WEEK 17 NFL:
Where is Kelly Clarkson from?
Kelly Clarkson is from Fort Worth, Texas. She was born there in 1982, then specifically grew up in Burleson, Texas, a suburb of Fort Worth.
Clarkson attended Burleson High School, graduating in 2000 after performing in plenty of musicals and beginning voice training. By 2001, she had traveled to Los Angeles to pursue a career in music, also appearing as an extra in a few television series, while recording demo tracks in order to land a record deal. However, Clarkson had to return to her hometown of Burleson because of her lack of career opportunities.
In May 2002, she auditioned for the first season of "American Idol," and the rest was history. She received a "golden ticket" to the Hollywood rounds, then won the competition by September 2002 and signed a record deal with RCA Records, 19 Recordings, and S Records. Clarkson's first double-A-side single, "Before Your Love"/"A Moment Like This", reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts.
By 2003, she had her debut album and a Grammy nomination, and she shifted more into pop-rock for her second album, "Breakaway" in 2004.
In 2013, Clarkson released a Christmas album called "Wrapped In Red," which featured "Underneath the Tree," a song that would continue ranking around the top of holiday charts for years to come and would be featured on her 2025 Netflix performance before Cowboys vs. Commanders.
MORE: Everything to know about Snoop Dogg's halftime show
Is Kelly Clarkson a Cowboys fan?
Yes, Kelly Clarkson is a known Cowboys fan. Having grown up in Fort Worth, she grew up a fan of the team — and she's actually released an entire Cowboys-themed song.
In February 2012, she performed the national anthem at Super Bowl XLVI, then later released a promotional single, "Get Up (A Cowboys Anthem)", for use in Pepsi's NFL advertising campaign.
"I’ve been watching games since I was a baby. Cause in Texas, all we do is football, really – that and barbecue. I thought about all the things that I loved as a kid, and one of those things was the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders. They were big influences because I thought that when I was a kid, I was like, ‘Oh my God! They’re so famous.’ Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders are almost as famous as the Dallas Cowboys," Clarkson said of the song at the time, per ESPN. "I thought the one cool thing about the Cowboys is that when I go overseas all the time, they’re kind of the only American football team that’s really known around the world.
I tried to incorporate that into this song as well. It’s very much like a cheer, like a chant and then in the choruses it’s very much that Kelly Clarkson anthem."
In 2023, Clarkson became the first woman to host the NFL Honors show, and she made sure to make her Cowboys fandom clear, wearing a Cowboys-themed ballgown with player's names sewn into the skirt, then making plenty of reference to her favorite team in her opening monologue.
@accesshollywood #KellyClarkson brought the jokes to the #NFL Honors and roasted #TomBrady ♬ original sound - Access Hollywood
On her own talk show, "The Kelly Clarkson Show," she's also made plenty of Cowboys references. In October 2024, she had former quarterback Terry Bradshaw on the show, discussing her fandom.
In 2025, she was announced as having a pregame performance before the NFL's Christmas Day games on Netflix, including the Cowboys taking on the Commanders.