Netflix has high hopes for its two upcoming Christmas Day games, but Chris ‘Mad Dog” Russo is definitely not feeling the holiday spirit.
Netflix announced earlier this year it had reached a three-year deal with the NFL to broadcast games on Dec. 25, two games this year, and at least one game in 2025 and 2026. CBS Sports will produce the games.
The streamer landed two good games this year, with the Pittsburgh Steelers hosting the Kansas City Chiefs at 1 p.m. (ET), followed by the Baltimore Ravens at the Houston Texans.
Monday on his SiriusXM Mad Dog Unleashed radio show, Russo ranted about the Christmas Day games and even tossed grenades at a couple of the studio and game analysts.
“Week 17, first off, they put the two games on Christmas … Netflix,” Russo said. “As we discussed forever, who the hell can watch an NFL game on Christmas Day at 1 o’clock in the afternoon? I can’t, and I hate Christmas, but I can’t.
“What am I going to do, (turn) the TV on at 1 o’clock, sorry … I’ll see you later?”
Russo then launched into a bizarre tangent touching on geography, time zones, Pakistan, and hard-drinking French NFL fans.
“Those are Netflix games, we got to make sure Netflix, some dope in Pakistan can watch his football game,” Russo said. “So that’s why they’re on earlier in the day because the time difference makes it a little more conceivable. Because now [Patrick] Mahomes is at 9 o’clock in Europe. So if you live in Paris and you can’t get enough of Patrick Mahomes … you’re gonna get a break on Christmas night. Have your little French dinner, have your six bottles of wine, and watch Mahomes at 7 o’clock.
“So you can watch the game there, but we can’t watch the game here!”
“I mean it’s ridiculous, all for a couple of bucks. … And Netflix with their lineup, they got 9 billion people in the broadcast booth. Whether it’s the pregame show and everything … half of them ESPN, half of them have been fired by ESPN, I mean it’s absurd. Call me, I might go!
“I mean my god, they got 50 million people, Drew Brees, he collapsed, RGIII, they got rid of RGIII! I mean they got a thousand people, on Christmas! I mean, we don’t need 30 people on the pregame show! My god almighty, put the game on at 1 o’clock and that’s the end of it.”
Here’s two wonderful, glorious minutes of Radio Hall of Famer @MadDogUnleashed destroying the NFL, Netflix and Christmas. pic.twitter.com/IOKvHW7ZK4
— Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) December 16, 2024
It’s worth clarifying one of Russo’s points. He said Netflix will have “9 billion people” in the broadcast booth (Earth’s estimated population: 8.025 billion). Then he revised that to “5o million people” … then he said “a thousand people” … then “30 people.” Even 30 people would make for a crowded studio and game booth. Netflix is using a fraction of that amount. Rich Eisen will anchor the Netflix studio. As Russo alluded, Eisen will be joined by Robert Griffin III and Brees along with Mina Kimes, Manti Te’o, and Kay Adams.
On the game coverage, Noah Eagle will call play-by-play for the Chiefs-Steelers game, along with analysts Nate Burleson and J.J. Watt.
Ian Eagle will work with analyst Greg Olsen at the Ravens-Texans game.
It would be one thing for Russo to criticize the inconvenient (for many fans) timing of the early game. But RGIII will be working his first NFL studio gig since being laid off by ESPN. To call Griffin and Brees out by name seems mean-spirited, to say the least. It’s definitely not in the Christmas spirit. Then again, we all know how Russo hates Christmas.
[Jimmy Traina]
