Netflix’s NFL Christmas Broadcast Draws Fan Ire and a ‘Greedy Pigs’ Rebuke

Netflix’s second year streaming the NFL’s Christmas games was widely panned for its poor production quality. The move also drew a sharp rebuke from NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, who, in comments reported by Sports Illustrated, called the league "greedy pigs" for encroaching on the holiday.

• Humbug and hubris: "We used to have this day to ourself, but Roger Goodell and them pigs at the NFL always want to hog every day of the week now," Barkley said during ESPN's NBA pregame show. His frustration points to the NFL's recent push onto a day the NBA has long dominated.

• Amateur hour: The production itself lacked polish, with viewers complaining about everything from an "AI-generated" scorebug to cringey in-game interviews. The chief complaint was a series of awkward, low-resolution video calls with NFL legends that felt more like a glitchy corporate webinar than primetime football. Fans took to social media to blast the telecast as "a terrible idea."

• Colonizing Christmas: The NFL has scheduled games on Christmas every year since 2020, a clear shift from its historical practice of largely avoiding the holiday. This aggressive push into the NBA's traditional broadcast window signals the league's intent to capture audience attention on any day of the week, a strategy that has drawn both fan backlash and high viewership.

Despite the vocal criticism of its production and scheduling, the NFL's holiday strategy is a ratings success, suggesting the league is unlikely to reverse course. The NFL's Christmas expansion goes beyond just Netflix, with Amazon Prime Video also airing a game as part of a deal that sees Netflix paying a reported $150 million per year.