Netflix’s NFL coverage gets off to rough start with multiple blunders

Netflix committed multiple flubs in the opening minutes of its NFL coverage.

While the streaming quality on its pregame show is thus far standing up after issues during last month’s Jake Paul-Mike Tyson fight, Wednesday’s Christmas broadcast began with silence while Kay Adams kicked things off, her microphone apparently not on during the opening roughly 10 seconds.

Several minutes later, while Mina Kimes was in the middle of talking, Netflix cut to an ad for Squid Games season 2.

Kay Adams before the Chiefs-Texans game in Kansas City on Dec. 21, 2024. David Smith/CSM/Shutterstock

The pregame show then returned as if nothing happened.

Netflix today begins its first live broadcast of the NFL, with a two-hour pregame show leading up to Chiefs vs. Steelers at 1 p.m. and Ravens vs. Texans at 4:30 p.m.

The Wall Street Journal reported Netflix paid $150 million for the two games, and the streamer will get at least one holiday game each of the next two seasons.

Concern was raised about how Wednesday’s broadcasts would go after widespread issues during the Paul-Tyson boxing bout, with many of the roughly 60 million announced viewers experiencing buffering issues.

The NFL came away from talks with Netflix “reassured” that Netflix knew what went wrong and that the issues would be resolved for Christmas, ESPN reported last month.

Netflix paid $150 million for Wednesday’s two Christmas NFL games. REUTERS

While traffic on the stream will likely increase greatly once the Chiefs and Steelers kick off, the streaming quality held up well early during the pregame show.

But the other technical issues struck the wrong first impression.