Report: Netflix is top contender to show NFL’s Dec. 25 games

While streaming serv- ices and traditional net- works have for several years competed for sports TV rights, Netflix stayed mostly out of the race, focusing on original content. That changed in January when Netflix bought the rights to televise WWE Raw.

And now Netflix is entering the big leagues.

Puck’s John Ourand reported Friday that Netflix is the top contender for the NFL’s two Christmas Day games in 2024, which would mark Netflix’s first live telecast in any of the five major U.S. sports leagues.

The teams playing in the Christmas Day games have not been announced. According to Ourand, it’s believed that the reason the NFL schedule release was delayed from May 9 to this Wednesday is because of the negotiations with the streamer.

Netflix hasn’t showed any live NFL games, but has worked with the NFL on the docuseries “Quarterback,” which featured

Patrick Mahomes, Kirk Cousins and Marcus Mariota.

A new entry, “Receiver,” which will follow

Davante Adams, Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, Amon-Ra St. Brown and

Justin Jefferson, will premiere sometime in the summer.

Netflix’s entrance into the NFL scene makes it the fourth streaming service fans will need to buy in order to watch every NFL game this season: Amazon Prime will continue to televise Thursday night games and will get one wild-card playoff game; Peacock will have the Philadelphia-Green Bay game in Brazil on Friday, Sept. 6; and ESPN+ will get one international game.

Belichick joining ‘ManningCast’: Longtime coach Bill Belichick isn’t leading an NFL team this season, but he’ll still be on television screens often during the 2024 NFL season.

Peyton Manning, who with his brother, Eli, hosts the “ManningCast” on ESPN — officially called “Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli” – said the coach will appear on every episode during the upcoming season.

“ManningCast” airs as an alternative viewing format for the majority of, but not all, “Monday Night Football” games.

Peyton Manning told “The Pat McAfee Show” on ESPN on Friday that Belichick will be on the show every week, likely early in the game, to share his expertise.

ELSEWHERE

Chargers: Los Angeles this weekend signed edge rusher Bud Dupree, who is entering his 10th season, He gives the Chargers another option along with Tuli Tuipulotu behind starters Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa.

Acquiring depth and boosting competition have been two of the consistent talking points of coach Jim Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz since both joined the Chargers this year.

Dupree, 31, had 61⁄2 sacks and 39 tackles in 16 games last season for Atlanta. A first-round pick (No. 22 overall) of Pittsburgh in 2015, he spent six years with the Steelers before going to Tennessee for two seasons.

Patriots: New England named Eliot Wolf its executive vice president of player personnel. Wolf, 42, has 20 seasons of NFL experience, including the last four as director of scouting for the Patriots. His duties will include overseeing the personnel department, managing the salary cap and control of the 53-man roster. He is the son of former Packers GM

Ron Wolf, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.