The NFL is teaming up with Hallmark for the second straight holiday season — but instead of highlighting a Kansas City Chiefs love story, the Buffalo Bills will instead get the rom-com treatment.
Hallmark announced in March that their “Countdown to Christmas” lineup for 2025 will include another football-focused film: Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story. (Last year, fans saw Tyler Hynes and Hunter King bring the Chiefs fandom to life, kicking off the Holiday Touchdown franchise.)
A Bills Love Story comes on the heels of Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Hailee Steinfeld’s engagement — which has drawn even more eyes to the NFL team.
When it comes to Hallmark’s newest NFL production, fans can expect love, football and a “touch of Christmas magic,” according to Hallmark Media senior vice president Samantha DiPippo.
Hallmark is teaming up with the Buffalo Bills to expand their Holiday Touchdown franchise — just months after quarterback Josh Allen’s engagement to Hailee Steinfeld. Fresh off the success of 2024’s Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story, the network announced that A Bills Love Story will premiere as part of Hallmark’s 16th annual Countdown to […]
The cast is equally as thrilled to be part of the holiday franchise. “I am so excited to be a part of the starting lineup for Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story,” star Holland Roden said in a Hallmark video on Monday, May 19, confirming her casting.
The Teen Wolf alum wore a Bills shirt as she threw a football to her costar — and love interest — Matthew Daddario. “I am thrilled to introduce you to my handsome and talented teammate,” Roden said before throwing the ball to Daddario, who teased he’s “ready for kickoff.”
Scroll down for everything to know about Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story:
Who Will Star in ‘A Bills Love Story’?
Roden and Daddario will play love interests in the upcoming rom-com. They will be joined by Tony Danza, Tracy Pollan, Caroline Aaron and Steve Schirripa. Hallmark announced on May 21 that Danza had a scheduling conflict with production dates and was replaced by Joe Pantoliano.
Is ‘A Bills Love Story’ Inspired by Josh Allen and Hailee Steinfeld’s Romance?
While Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story made several nods to tight end Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s romance in 2024, it is unknown whether Allen and Steinfeld’s relationship will be mentioned in A Bills Love Story. The characters, however, don’t seem to mirror Allen and Steinfeld. (Last year’s NFL Hallmark movie didn’t resemble Swift and Kelce’s relationship either, but there was a cameo from Travis’ mom, Donna Kelce.)
Fans, however, have been enthralled with Steinfeld and Allen since they began dating in 2023. The Bills quarterback proposed in November 2024, and two months later, a Buffalo billboard congratulated the pair on their engagement. “The Queen City has a new queen,” the billboard read. “Congratulations, Josh and Hailee.”
What Is ‘A Bills Love Story’ About?
The movie focuses on the Quinns and DeLucas, neighbors and proud Bills Mafia members, who celebrate the last home game before Christmas side by side. “Pediatric doctor Morgan Quinn (Roden) and the Bills’ VP of Stadium Development Gabe DeLuca (Daddario) have always been close friends, but Gabe has always held a torch for her — a fact obvious to their families (Pollan, Aaron, Schirripa) and everyone else who crosses their path,” the logline reads. “When Morgan learns from her Uncle Tommy (Danza) that someone anonymously helped her family get by after he was drafted more than 60 years ago — and that he continues to receive a Christmas gift each year to this day — she decides to find his benefactor and give her uncle a Christmas he’ll always remember.”
Morgan and Gabe work together to “unwrap the gifter’s identity” and along the way develop feelings for one another. When Morgan’s “hopes of pulling off her surprise for Uncle Tommy get sacked,” Gabe “takes matters into his own hands and uses his connections with the Bills to pull off the surprise of a lifetime for Morgan and both their families that will make this a Christmas they’ll never forget,” according to Hallmark.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s relationship is straight out of a movie. The pair connected during summer 2023 after Kelce, 34, infamously name-dropped Swift, also 34, on his “New Heights” podcast and lamented their missed connection at her Eras Tour concert in Kansas City. “This all started when Travis very adorably put me on blast […]
Which NFL Players Will Make Cameos?
Bills head coach Sean McDermott, running back Ray Davis, safety Damar Hamlin, offensive tackle Dion Dawkins, tight end Dawson Knox, long snapper Reid Ferguson, defensive tackle DeWayne Carter and wide receiver Joshua Palmer will all be part of the movie.
Former Bills quarterback Jim Kelly will make a cameo as will retired players Steve Tasker, Thurman Thomas and Scott Norwood. The network confirmed in May that Bills play-by-play announcer Chris Brown will make an appearance and Luke Russert will pay tribute to his late broadcast journalist father Tim Russert.
Andrew Walker will also have a cameo in the film. On June 13, Hallmark shared a clip of Walker behind the bar, presumably where he will film his scenes. Walker has starred in over 30 movies on the network.
Has Production Begun?
Hallmark announced in May that production was underway in Buffalo, New York. The movie will film in several “iconic locations” in the region, per the network, including Highmark Stadium and Oishei Children’s Hospital.
Following news of Josh Allen and Hailee Steinfeld’s engagement, the next question becomes obvious: So, when’s the wedding? The Buffalo Bills quarterback, 28, announced the big proposal news on Friday, November 29, which happened during the team’s bye week on November 22. As the team returned to the field on Sunday, December 1, for the […]
When Will ‘A Bills Love Story’ Premiere?
The football-themed movie is set to premiere during Hallmark Channel’s “Countdown to Christmas” programming.
Is There a Trailer for ‘A Bills Love Story’?
Hallmark has not released an official trailer yet, but the network announced the cast with a “starting lineup” video on May 19.
Who Wrote the Script?
Gilmore Girls alum Vanessa Marano and Dani Morrow teamed up to write the rom-com. The pair celebrated their achievement in May by sharing an Instagram video of the finished product while dressed in Bills’ beanies.
