On the festive evening of the NFL’s second-ever Christmas Halftime show, Snoop Dogg took center stage, accompanied by a galaxy of star-studded cameos. Lainey Wilson, the vocalists behind KPop Demon Hunters’ Huntrix, and a book-end cameo from Snoop Dogg’s longtime buddy Martha Stewart all contributed to the spectacle. Netflix had announced Snoop as the halftime performer for the Detroit Lions-Minnesota Vikings game over a week ago, signaling the streaming service’s foray into live sports events.
The performance kicked off with a twist on "T'was the Night Before Christmas," read by Stewart, who and Snoop have been pals for decades, their friendship forged after he appeared on her daytime show. "It’s Christmas, and we’re about to do some of my favorite Christmas songs," Snoop announced to the crowd, before a choral performance of “My Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music.
Snoop, dressed in a red suit with a matching fur-trimmed jacket, opened with the familiar beat of “The Next Episode” and ran through an array of his hits from the stage, backed by a live orchestra. But the real standouts were the guest stars.
Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami of Huntrix performed a rendition of “The 12 Days of Christmas,” cementing the global takeover of K-Pop Demon Hunters and their music. Their track “Golden” is contending for a Grammy for song of the year in February and is a frontrunner for this Oscar season as well.
All eyes were on Wilson as she entered on a sleigh in a winter-white jumpsuit with a cowboy hat on and belted out “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” For Wilson, the Christmas appearance caps off a landmark 2025 that also included being the biggest winner at the CMA Awards back in November.
The final whiplash-enduring moment came with father-son vocalists Andrea and Matteo Bocelli closing out the eclectic holiday romp with a serene version of “White Christmas.” The two were joined by Snoop and all of the other guests as the performance concluded.
Snoop’s show on Thursday marked the second time the NFL has ever done a halftime concert for Christmas, following Beyoncé’s Emmy-nominated “Beyoncé Bowl” last year. While this was Snoop Dogg’s first time on the Christmas stage, he’s no stranger to NFL halftime shows overall, having put on one of the best halftime shows in recent memory alongside Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, and Kendrick Lamar for a hometown concert when the Super Bowl was in Los Angeles in 2021.
