Mariah Carey NFL Christmas spot sparks mixed reactions: 'Feels like a Netflix commercial'

All I want for Christmas is ... a cameo on Netflix?

Mariah Carey is practically synonymous with Christmas at this point. So it should be no surprise she'd be a part of the first-ever NFL Christmas Gameday special featuring the Pittsburgh Steelers vs. the Kansas City Chiefs, followed by the Houston Texans vs. the Baltimore Ravens.

While Beyoncé will perform at the latter game's halftime show, Carey – fresh off a Christmas tour – kicked off (before kick-off, heh) the first game with a shortened version of her ever-popular hit "All I Want for Christmas Is You."

The singer, in a pre-taped segment, donned a bright red one-piece featuring shimmering gold tassels on her shoulders with a winter wonderland backdrop. The set was interpolated with footage of Steelers and Chief games and staged "fans" watching at home and in bars.

Social media users, as is typical, had mixed reactions to the performance. "So cute and festive! @NFL @MariahCarey We NEED a superbowl halftime show moment in 2026" wrote one X user. And as one viewer put it, "this Mariah Carey performance feels like a Netflix commercial."

It's been a milestone year for the singer. Last October marked 30 years since Carey released her holiday album "Merry Christmas." Buoyed by the success of the modern classic "All I Want For Christmas Is You," the album launched the singer/songwriter, already the bestselling female artist of all time, into a new stratosphere as the "Queen of Christmas."

For Carey this holiday season, her first Christmas since the deaths of her mother and sister, spreading joy is not lost on her.

"I think we all go through difficult times, and there's a lot of people that, especially during the holidays, they really kind of have a rough time with it," Carey says. "And that is the reason why I try to make people happy and to have a festive moment, you know, just to get through it. I try to be there as a friend to anyone who needs one."

In case you missed: Mariah Carey talks American Music Awards performance, 30 years of 'All I Want for Christmas'

Anticipation is building for the halftime show Wednesday night, though, as Beyoncé fans all over are anxiously awaiting her show as it will be her first time performing songs from her eighth studio album "Cowboy Carter."

Beyoncé recently teased her performance in a snippet on Instagram, deeming it a "A Cowboy Carter Christmas."

Contributing: Ralphie Aversa and Caché McClay, USA TODAY Network

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mariah Carey NFL Netflix performance sparks mixed reactions