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Oregon Ducks to dominate slate of Christmas Day games in 2026
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- Oregon Ducks to dominate slate of Christmas Day games in 2026
The full 2026 NFL schedule was released Thursday, and the Christmas Day slate is a doozy — especially for Oregon Duck fans.
Oregon is well represented across the league, with at least one former Duck signed with 25 of the 32 NFL teams. Every weekend on the schedule will feature pro Ducks performing on the field, but Christmas Day is one to get excited for, with young former Ducks taking the field in particular.
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To kick off the day, the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears will face off, giving the national audience a first hand look at 2026 first-round safety Dillon Thieneman . He excelled during his lone season at Oregon, living up to expectations as the top-ranked transfer portal safety and making several pivotal game-winning plays for the Ducks.
Next on the slate is a rematch of last season's AFC Divisional playoff matchup between the Buffalo Bills and Denver Broncos . Of course, Bo Nix will be quarterbacking the Broncos and looking to down the Bills for the second time in the 2026 calendar year. Nix excelled in his second year in the offense at Oregon and with the Broncos last season; he didn't stick with the Ducks for any longer, but it's an exciting thought to imagine how much more he'll progress in his third season under head coach Sean Payton.
To finish the day, Terrance Ferguson and the Los Angeles Rams will take on the Seattle Seahawks in a rematch of the NFC Championship game in January. Last season, the former Ducks tight end caught just 11 passes for 231 yards yet turned those limited opportunities into three touchdowns. More targets are expected in 2026, with a potential breakout incoming for the big-framed, athletic target.
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Barring injury, all three games will feature young pro Ducks performing on a national stage, but that's not all the Ducks that will potentially be playing on Christmas Day.
Alongside Thieneman in the first game on Christmas morning will be linebacker Noah Sewell and cornerback Dontae Manning. Opposite those three, the Green Bay Packers have a pair of Ducks in safety Evan Williams and defensive tackle Jordon Riley . And outside of Nix, the Broncos have wide receiver Troy Franklin , center Alex Forsyth and offensive guard Calvin Throckmorton on their roster. Long snapper Luke Basso was also signed to the practice squad as an undrafted free agent.
Christmas Day in 2026 will not only be a celebration of time with family and friends, but also former Ducks in the NFL.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Former Oregon Ducks well represented on NFL's 2026 Christmas Day slate
