Christmas games in NFL history

While the tradition of football on Thanksgiving has become a part of our culture, playing NFL games on Christmas Day is relatively rare -- until recently.

The first NFL games played on Dec. 25 were divisional playoff games in 1971. The second game that day was decided in double overtime and remains the longest game in NFL history (82 minutes, 40 seconds).

The NFL did not schedule a game on Christmas from 1972 to 1989.