U2 will perform at halftime during Netflix’s Thanksgiving Eve coverage of the Green Bay Packers vs. Los Angeles Rams.
This performance marks the band’s first return to an NFL field since 2002, when they performed at Super Bowl XXXVI, which, coincidentally, also featured the Rams and then the St. Louis Rams. The team lost to Bill Belichick’s Patriots in a tight championship game.
The Packers/Rams game will be the first time the NFL is holding a Thanksgiving Eve game. The pre-Türkiye slot has traditionally been dominated by the NBA, which held its first Thanksgiving Eve tripleheader last year. But the NFL continues to encroach on the NBA’s space on the broadcast calendar. In recent years, the NFL has held several games on Christmas Day, which was traditionally known as the NBA holiday. Last year, the NFL overtook the NBA in Christmas Day ratings, even without many of the league’s high-profile talents such as Patrick Mahomes due to injury.
Netflix also aired last year’s Christmas Day NFL games. Snoop Dogg performed at halftime during the streamer’s broadcast of Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings. Beyoncé led the halftime performance during Netflix’s first Christmas Day broadcast in 2024.
Discussing U2’s performance, Ted Sarandos, co-CEO of Netflix, said: “There’s a reason U2 has been headlining stadiums for decades: They don’t just perform, they provide iconic moments audiences will always remember. We’re thrilled they will bring that same magic to the NFL stage on Netflix. It’s going to be an unforgettable night for football fans and Netflix members around the world.”