Best NFL Christmas Day moments since 2010

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The NFL is the gift that keeps on giving, and what better way to spend Christmas Day than watching some climatic football towards the end of the season. Every year, new storylines are written, but there have been some memorable festive games than will live long into the future.

Let’s take a look at five unforgettable NFL moments from recent memory…

5. Aaron Rodgers dominates the Bears with five scores (2011)

Future Hall-of-Famer Aaron Rodgers threw for a career high five touchdowns on Christmas Day in 2011, as the Green Bay Packers dominated the Chicago Bears 35-21 at Lambeau Field, making him the record holder for the most passing touchdowns in a single game on Christmas in history.

Rodgers threw a pair of touchdowns to Jordy Nelson, another two to James Jones, and found tight end Jermichael Finley for a score as the Packers also took another round of bragging rights in the NFL’s true grudge matches.

The win helped the team lock up home field advantage as the number one seed in the NFL play-offs and go to a league-leading 14-1 on the 2011 season, while eliminated Chicago from contention to reach the postseason.

What a team they had that year.

4. DeAndre Hopkins makes catch-of-the-year touchdown (2017)

Hopkins had already cemented himself as one of the best wide receivers in the NFL by Christmas Day in 2017, but he made even more headlines with an unbelievable score against the Pittsburgh Steelers while playing for the Houston Texans.

Despite being down big on the scoreboard, surrounded by coverage, Hopkins managed to tap the ball into the air with one hand and as it looped over the Steelers cornerback Joe Haden, then hauled the ball in one-handed with his other hand, all the while keeping both of his feet in the endzone.

The play might not have stood for much, but helped to transform Hopkins’ reputation as an elite playmaker.

3. Alvin Kamara scores six rushing touchdowns, tying all-time record (2020)

What better way to celebrate the festive period than scoring a record-equalling amount of touchdowns on Christmas Day…

Alvin Kamara and the New Orleans Saints went full riot mode against the Minnesota Vikings in 2020, thrashing them 52-33, which also included Taysom Hill adding a seventh rushing score.

Victory ensured the Saints won their fourth successive NFC South title, but for the fans, they were treated to amazing spectacle of scoring, while inflicting the points points given up by the Vikings since 1963. I don’t think we’ll see another running back getting into the endzone on that many occasions for quite a while.

2. Dontari Poe throws a TD pass for the Chiefs (2016)

Another record-breaking Christmas moment, nose tackle Dontari Poe became the heaviest man in NFL history to throw a pass, and, since that pass was also a touchdown, he became the heaviest man in NFL history to throw a touchdown.

With the Chiefs up well against the Broncos heading into the final moments, 346-pound Poe connected with tight end Demetrius Harris for six, in a play no one really saw coming.

An unbelievable moment regardless, it was the perfect Christmas present for Poe and the Chiefs.

1. ‘The Immaculate Extension’ wins the AFC North (2016)

Week 16, 2016, and the AFC North division title was on the line on Christmas Day, between the Pittsburgh Steelers and their much hated rival the Baltimore Ravens. Having just regained the lead, Baltimore were up three points with the score 27-24 with just over a minute on the clock, but would soon succumb to a play now known more commonly as ‘The Immaculate Extension’.

In an unbelievable drive, quarterback Ben Roethsliberger led the Steelers down the field to be in with a chance to score with just seconds remaining. Lining up on Baltimore’s 4-yard line, ‘Big Ben’ threw the day ball to Antonio Brown, who was surrounded by three Ravens’ tacklers and had to dig deep to make the catch, before performing an outrageous stretch to guide the ball into the endzone.

Given the situation, the time on the clock, what was on the line and the opponent, it was a remarkable catch and stretch by Brown. Despite all the noise that surrounds him these days, its plays like this remind us of the elite talent he had in his prime in Pittsburgh.