Mariah Carey kicks off Netflix's NFL doubleheader with Christmas cheer

The Queen of Christmas brought the holiday spirit to Netflix’s NFL doubleheader Wednesday.

Mariah Carey opened the streaming giant’s Christmas game day broadcasts with a recorded performance of “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”

The artist, who wore a bedazzled, red festive outfit, is seen on a rooftop that was decked out in holiday decor, including fake snow and Christmas trees. As she sings, she’s joined by some VIPs from the North Pole (including Santa Claus and some elves), as they dance around her. The segment included a montage of clips from past games, and groups of people watching Netflix from home.

The streaming giant also shared the performance in a post on X, writing “ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS A MARIAH CAREY KICKOFF.”

Carey penned the 1994 song when she was 22 years old. The album went triple-platinum the year it was released, selling more than 3 million copies in the United States, and has since gone on to sell at least 6 million more copies or album equivalents. The Christmas classic remains extremely popular, particularly during this time of year, though its listenership has slipped.

Netflix’s first NFL broadcast, produced by CBS Sports, features matchups between the Kansas City Chiefs at the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Baltimore Ravens at the Houston Texans.

Beyoncé is also slated to perform at halftime during the second game of the day.

The games are a key test for Netflix as it doubles down on live event programming. The streaming giant has already announced several additional high-profile live events in the future, including weekly World Wrestling Entertainment “Raw” shows that start streaming in less than two weeks, and the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2027 and 2031.

Ahead of the Christmas games, Netflix heavily promoted both Carey’s and Beyoncé’s performances.

“The NFL is live on Netflix, and I’ll be there too,” Carey said in a teaser video posted ahead of the game.

Meanwhile, in a teaser video posted on X on Tuesday, Beyoncé appeared to poke fun at the streaming issues that Netflix has had during previous live events. The X account for Netflix subsequently temporarily changed its profile bio to read: “roasted by beyoncé 12.24.24”

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