Charles Barkley Criticizes NFL and Commissioner Goodell for Holding Games on Christmas

Charles Barkley Criticizes NFL and Roger Goodell for Christmas Day Games

Charles Barkley expressed strong disapproval of the NFL’s increasing presence on Christmas Day, accusing the league and commissioner Roger Goodell of greed. Barkley highlighted that Christmas has traditionally been an NBA-dedicated day, but the NFL has encroached on this tradition by adding multiple Christmas games since 2020.

The NBA has showcased Christmas Day as a premier event for 78 years, featuring top teams and star players. This year’s NBA Christmas lineup includes marquee matchups such as the defending champion Thunder hosting Victor Wembanyama’s Spurs and Steph Curry’s Warriors taking on the Mavericks, emphasizing the league’s continued commitment to the holiday showcase.

Barkley criticized the NFL’s scheduling strategy, particularly the doubleheader aired on Netflix despite Christmas falling on a weekday last year. He said, “The NFL got greedy and started adding Christmas games. We used to have this day to ourselves, but Roger Goodell and them pigs at the NFL always want to hog every day of the week now.”

This year, the NFL scheduled three Christmas Day games, but its lineup has been weakened by injuries. Key teams like the Cowboys and Commanders are missing starting quarterbacks, and the eliminated Chiefs are playing with a third-string quarterback. The Vikings will start an undrafted rookie quarterback against the Lions.

The NFL’s Christmas games are broadcast across multiple platforms, with the Chiefs-Broncos game being shown on Amazon Prime Video as part of Thursday Night Football coverage. Netflix continues its investment in Christmas games, paying approximately $150 million per year under its multi-year contract.

NBA’s Christmas Day Games to Watch

1. Thunder (defending champion) vs. Spurs (featuring Victor Wembanyama)
2. Warriors (led by Steph Curry) vs. Mavericks (with No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg)
3. Lakers (LeBron James) vs. Rockets (Kevin Durant)
4. Nuggets (Nikola Jokic) vs. Timberwolves

NBA’s Christmas games remain a highlight of the holiday, with major matchups designed to attract viewers globally. Meanwhile, Barkley’s remarks underscore the tension between the leagues over holiday sports programming and the balance between tradition and commercial interests.