For millions of fans, Christmas Day football is a festive treat. However, inside the locker rooms of the National Football League (NFL), the reality is often one of frustration and sacrifice. As the league continues to stack its calendar with high-profile holiday matchups, players are increasingly vocal about the personal cost of these games, torn between their professional commitments and irreplaceable family moments.
Lions' Stars Highlight the Personal Toll
This conflict is sharply in focus this week as the Detroit Lions gear up to face the Minnesota Vikings on Christmas Day at US Bank Stadium. While fans enjoy the drama and playoff implications, for players it translates to disrupted travel, intense preparation, and another missed celebration at home. Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown articulated this sentiment clearly on the December 24 episode of the St. Brown Brothers podcast.
St. Brown emphasized that his concern isn't about a lack of effort, but about losing precious moments. He pointed out that Detroit, having already played on Thanksgiving, is now scheduled for Christmas as well. "How do I feel about playing on Christmas Day, and we had Thanksgiving? I'm not a fan," St. Brown stated. "We got the two biggest holidays. I feel like, in the United States, we played on both of them... if I had kids, I'd be even more pissed. You can't really spend it with your family."
He drove the point home by imagining a future with children: "You don't get to see your kids open gifts." Despite this, St. Brown remains focused on the crucial game against Minnesota, vital for the Lions' postseason hopes. The team currently has eight wins and needs every advantage, including a loss by the second-placed Green Bay Packers who have nine wins.
A Growing Chorus of Discontent
St. Brown is not alone in his feelings. Detroit Lions right tackle Penei Sewell shared a similar blunt assessment earlier in December. In a December 18 interview with MLive, Sewell said, "I'm going to be brutally honest. I'm not happy. We already play on Thanksgiving, and the fact that we have to play on Christmas (and) away, is something I wouldn't want to do."
This frustration is not a new phenomenon in the league. Last Christmas, prominent players from teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and the Pittsburgh Steelers, including stars like Patrick Mahomes, Justin Reid, and Chris Jones, raised identical concerns. Jones even mentioned potentially involving the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) to address the issue.
The Business Behind the Holiday Games
The NFL's push for more holiday games continues unabated, driven by lucrative broadcasting deals. A significant factor is the league's massive $150 million agreement with streaming giant Netflix for holiday games, underscoring the commercial imperative behind the schedule. This business-first approach often places the league's financial interests on a collision course with players' desires for family time during major holidays.
The situation presents a complex dilemma. While holiday games deliver massive ratings and fan engagement, they come at a significant personal cost for the athletes. As stars like Amon-Ra St. Brown and Penei Sewell speak out, it highlights an ongoing tension between the sport's relentless commercial expansion and the human element of its players, who are asked to perform while sacrificing some of the year's most cherished personal moments.
