While most of the sporting world will join the rest of us mere mortals in unwrapping presents and devouring turkey on Christmas Day, the players on six NFL teams will be clocking on for just another work day.

Patrick Mahomes is looking forward to a day of NFL action and present opening

For the second successive year, three NFL games will take place on December 25 as the race for the Play-Offs hots up.

The defending Super Bowl champions Kansas City Chiefs host the Las Vegas Raiders before another divisional rivalry takes place between the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants.

The festive feast of American football is rounded out with an absolute Christmas cracker as the 11-3 Baltimore Ravens visit the 11-3 San Francisco 49ers in a battle between the two current No.1 seeds in the AFC and NFC.

Although Christmas Day does not fall on a Sunday this year, it should come as no surprise that the NFL have identified December 25 as yet another key date in the calendar.

“The days where families come together across the country, we really believe are opportunities for us to use in a way to help build and celebrate football,” NFL executive Hans Schroeder said.

The NFL’s three games last year averaged 21.9million viewers and this year Nickelodeon will once again air a broadcast aimed at kids for the Chiefs’ clash with the Raiders.

While some NFL fans will view this three-game slate as a gift, the League’s reigning MVP feels he has found a lump of coal in his stocking on this one.

“I’m excited because you get that standalone (game),” Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said.

“You get to play at Arrowhead at 12pm. Everybody’s going to be just opening presents and getting the food in them and then they’re going to be the happiest they possibly can be. They’re going to turn on and see the Kansas City Chiefs playing. So, I’m excited about that.

“I’m a little disappointed I’m going to miss Christmas Eve with my kids and Christmas morning and miss Santa coming. But I’ll be able to spend the evening with them and open presents with them then. So, it will be a great opportunity. I’m excited for that.

“We’ll miss the kids a little bit but we’ll celebrate after the game’s over.”

While he might be dressed like Santa Claus in red and white, Mahomes will not be the main attraction in the NFL world on Christmas Day as all eyes are on the hotly anticipated match-up between the 49ers and Ravens.

“I want to hand it to the NFL scriptwriters,” 49ers tight end George Kittle said.

“Great job! Christmas Day, ‘Monday Night Football’ and you’ve got the two (No.1) seeds going at it? You couldn’t have done that one any better.

“The one seed versus one seed, those are two teams that are playing good football in December, and that’s the football that you want to see.”

And it could be the match-up we see again on the NFL’s own Christmas Day — Super Bowl Sunday.

Christmas Eve Indianapolis Colts @ Atlanta Falcons (6.00pm)

Green Bay Packers @ Carolina Panthers (6.00pm)

Cleveland Browns @ Houston Texans (6.00pm)

Detroit Lions @ Minnesota Vikings (6.00pm)

Washington Commanders @ New York Jets (6.00pm)

Seattle Seahawks @ Tennessee Titans (6.00pm)

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9.05pm)

Arizona Cardinals @ Chicago Bears (9.25pm)

Dallas Cowboys @ Miami Dolphins (9.25pm)

New England Patriots @ Denver Broncos (1.15am)

Christmas Day Las Vegas Raiders @ Kansas City Chiefs (6.00pm)

New York Giants @ Philadelphia Eagles (9.30pm) Baltimore Ravens @ San Francisco 49ers (1.15am)