By Blessing 
The Detroit Lions have become a massive ratings sensation across several major broadcast networks in 2024, solidifying their place as one of the most-watched teams in the league.
Rod Wood, the team’s president, shared during the annual league meetings that the Lions are expected to continue dominating primetime slots in 2025. He proudly stated, “Other than the Cowboys’ Thanksgiving game on Fox, we were the No. 2 Fox game, the No. 1 CBS game, the No. 1 ABC game, the No. 1 Amazon game, the No. 1 NBC game.” According to Wood, the Lions were the top-rated game on every major network, except for Fox, where they were ranked second. Wood believes this success is not only beneficial for the Lions but also a win for the networks themselves. “I’m sure, because of that, we’ll have more primetime games,” he added.
Wood attributes much of the team’s growing popularity to their head coach, Dan Campbell, whose relatable style and passionate leadership have resonated deeply with fans. “I think Dan is a big part of it. He’s a beloved coach,” Wood explained. “I think fans can relate to him, want him to be the coach of their team.” The Lions’ exciting offensive play, including creative trick plays and high-scoring games, has also helped fuel their rise in popularity. “And I just think our fans are so hungry because they’ve been rooting for this for so long,” Wood continued. “Let’s just get to the next step and really put this over the top.”
Looking ahead to 2025, the Lions could find themselves playing not only on Thanksgiving but also on Christmas Day. NFL games on Christmas have garnered solid ratings, and with streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon increasingly involved in broadcasting games, the Lions may be called to play more than their usual Thanksgiving game.
As Wood pointed out, Christmas in 2025 falls on a Thursday, which could lead to a full day of NFL games, including some on streaming platforms. “You know, Christmas this year falls on a Thursday. I think there’s probably going to be a full day of NFL games, including a couple on Netflix, like last year, and Thursday Night Football, maybe on Amazon,” Wood said.
Though the Lions have a long tradition of playing on Thanksgiving, Wood acknowledged that scheduling them for Christmas could be a challenge. “I know we’re a big TV draw, so I wouldn’t rule out that they might ask us to do it,” he said. “But, we’ll see what schedule comes out.” Despite the potential scheduling conflicts, the Lions’ ever-growing fanbase and TV ratings might just make them one of the most requested teams for these major holiday games.