Kendrick Perkins, Richard Jefferson says the NFL should’ve left Christmas to the NBA

The NBA has owned Christmas Day for generations, and former players think that identity still matters. As the NFL continues to place regular season games on December 25, voices from the basketball world have started to push back, including Kendrick Perkins and Richard Jefferson.

The National Basketball Association first tipped off on Christmas in 1947, just one year after the league formed. From that moment on, the holiday became part of the NBA’s DNA, with marquee matchups turning into a yearly tradition for fans around the world. Meanwhile, the National Football League built its own holiday stronghold on Thanksgiving, a day it has dominated for decades, per USAToday.

That balance shifted in recent years. Since 2020, the NFL has scheduled at least one Christmas Day game every season. The move gained traction after the league expanded to a 17 game schedule, which pushed late December deeper into meaningful regular season weeks.

Recently, Perkins and Jefferson addressed that shift head on.

NBA Voices Push Back on NFL’s Christmas Push

Jefferson framed the issue as more than just scheduling. “No other country watches football,” he said. “People all around the world watch our sport. Yall can have thanksgiving, we’ll take Christmas.”

Richard Jefferson and Kendrick Perkins says the NFL should’ve left Christmas to the NBA

Richard: no other country watches football. People all around the world watch our sport. Yall can have thanksgiving, we’ll take Christmas

Perk: They tried to be petty. Do you see the… pic.twitter.com/azD2449s9o

— Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) December 25, 2025

Perkins followed with a sharper critique, calling the NFL’s approach unnecessary. “They tried to be petty,” he said. “Do you see the slate of games they have? That sh-t is ugly.”

Fans online echoed those sentiments. One user wrote, “Only time I agree with Perk.” Another pointed to the league’s global reach, noting that fans in Asia often wake up specifically to watch NBA Christmas games.

The debate highlights a cultural crossover moment for American sports. Football continues to expand its calendar, while basketball defends a tradition it helped define. For Perkins and Jefferson, Christmas still belongs to the hardwood, not the gridiron.

The post Kendrick Perkins, Richard Jefferson says the NFL should’ve left Christmas to the NBA appeared first on ClutchPoints.