Drew Brees Returns to the Broadcast Booth for Netflix’s High-Profile Christmas Day NFL Coverage

This Christmas Day, Netflix is reinforcing its NFL presence with the return of Drew Brees to call the shots. As per Andrew Marchand of The Athletic, the former New Orleans Saints quarterback will be analyzing one of Netflix’s two domestic broadcasts: the Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Commanders or the Detroit Lions versus the Minnesota Vikings. Brees, 46, finds the assignment to be more than just another job – it’s a chance to broadcast redemption. After retiring from the NFL in 2020, the 13-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl XLIV champion moved on to television, becoming an analyst for NBC Sports in 2021.

At first, Brees was viewed as a potential successor to Cris Collinsworth’s Sunday Night Football role, but his first season in the booth was received with mixed opinions. The AFC Wild Card game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the then-Oakland Raiders in January 2022, his last NBC appearance, was heavily criticized for its lack of sharpness and energy. Brees’ on-air work became more sporadic after leaving NBC.

Last season, he made a brief appearance on ESPN, and there are reports that Fox Sports is considering him as a secondary analyst alongside Tom Brady and Greg Olsen. Brees was a contributor to Netflix’s international NFL broadcast last year, but this Christmas, he will be speaking directly to the United States. One of the most-watched holiday showcases of the year has an audience.

 

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In 2023, Netflix made a significant splash by acquiring exclusive rights to stream NFL games on Christmas Day, entering a space that traditional television networks had dominated. The move signaled a bold move by the streaming giant into live sports, hinting at the NFL’s future not being exclusively tied to cable or network TV.

This year’s Christmas schedule offers two high-stakes matchups that could shape the playoff picture. Brees can take advantage of both an opportunity and a challenge in this setting: an audience hungry for new insights and a platform that has the power to reintroduce him as a refined and in-demand voice in sports media. If Brees can pair his Hall of Fame-caliber football IQ with sharper on-air delivery, his Netflix debut on the domestic feed could mark a turning point in his broadcasting career — and a compelling chapter in the NFL’s evolving media landscape.