Vikings-Lions to be featured on Christmas Day, per schedule leaks

Ryan OLeary

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Vikings-Lions to be featured on Christmas Day, per schedule leaks image

Christmas is reportedly coming early for fans of the Minnesota Vikings.

Per a pair of NFL regular-season schedule leaks from insiders Jordan Schultz (FOX Sports) and Ben Goessling (Star Tribune), the Vikings will host the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium during the NFL’s slate of games on Christmas Day.

Updating a previous report, Schultz had originally announced Vikings-Lions on Thanksgiving Day as well, but that report ended up being false and taken down. The NFL will confirm its full 18-week, 272-game schedule on Wednesday night.

This all comes a day after the league announced that the Vikings will play back-to-back games overseas this year, in Ireland (Week 4) and London (Week 5). Minnesota will be the first team in NFL history to play consecutive international games in separate countries.

MORE: Vikings 2025 schedule release tracker: Latest rumors, leaks on Minnesota’s 17 regular-season games

What was looking like a special 2024 season for both Detroit and Minnesota went completely off the rails during the NFL playoffs. The Vikings were uncompetitive against Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams, 27-9, in a game that was played at a neutral site in Arizona due to the L.A. wildfires. The Lions, meanwhile, got roasted by Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders, 45-31, in the Divisional Round following their first-round bye.

The Vikings have more to prove after getting smoked by the Lions in Week 18 last season, 31-9, in a game that decided both the NFC North division title and No. 1 overall playoff seed. Prior to kickoff, the matchup was billed as one of the most high-stakes regular-season games in NFL history, and the league is reportedly tapping back into those juicy storylines in 2025.

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Ryan OLeary

Ryan O'Leary has spent his entire professional career in sports multimedia, working as journalist, editor, podcaster, and in live events as a content manager and show emcee. His career highlights include working as a podcast host and audio editor for USA TODAY Sports Media Group, where he led a series of NFL podcasts for the company’s top-performing NFL sites. A born and raised New Englander, Ryan’s career kicked-off in newspapers after graduating from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in journalism. He developed an affinity for small-town youth, high school and college sports, while also realizing his childhood dream of covering the Patriots in multiple AFC Championship Games. Ryan enjoys kicking it with family and friends, beating his dad and brother in chess, and arguing with anyone crazy enough to insist that Tom Brady isn’t the GOAT.