Charles Barkley didn’t mince words on Christmas Day, calling out the NFL for scheduling games on December 25, a date long synonymous with the NBA. Speaking on ESPN’s Inside the NBA broadcast on Thursday, Dec. 25, the Hall of Famer took direct aim at NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and the league’s ever-expanding calendar.
Barkley framed the criticism as part of a larger trend, arguing that the NFL continues to push beyond traditional time slots and encroach on days historically owned by other sports. He emphasized that Christmas Day has been a staple of the NBA since its earliest seasons, making the NFL’s presence on the holiday a clear overreach in his view.
Charles Barkley Blasts The NFL For Hijacking Christmas On Inside the NBA
During the broadcast, Barkley first praised the NBA’s Christmas Day schedule before shifting his focus to the NFL. “I mean, it is tremendous because you got five games,” Barkley said of the league’s holiday slate.
He added, “There’s nobody else playing. You know, the NFL got greedy and started adding Christmas games. We used to have this day to ourselves, but (NFL commissioner Roger Goodell) and them pigs at the NFL always wanna hog every day of the week now.”
— welovesports40 (@welovesports40) December 26, 2025
The comments drew laughter from the rest of the Inside the NBA panel, but they underscored a familiar critique Barkley has repeatedly voiced as the NFL continues to expand its reach. In 2025, the league played multiple games on Christmas Day for the fifth consecutive year.
Since Roger Goodell took over as commissioner in 2006, the NFL has steadily moved beyond its traditional Sunday afternoon and Monday night windows. Thursday Night Football launched the same year, followed by Black Friday games in 2023. While Saturday games in December have long existed once the college football regular season ends, Barkley suggested the league’s continued expansion has now gone too far.
Related: Inside Patrick Mahomes’ Extravagant Christmas Gift Haul For The Chiefs’ Offensive Line
Barkley continued his pointed criticism of the NFL’s expanding schedule, calling out commissioner Roger Goodell directly. “Roger Goodell trying to hog every day of the week,” Barkley said. “They’re on Saturday now. On Friday too. Stay in your lane, Roger.”
He contrasted the NFL’s growing presence with the NBA’s deep-rooted connection to the holiday. The league has played games on Christmas Day since 1947, its second season, making the tradition a cornerstone of the NBA calendar.
The 2025 Christmas slate featured five marquee matchups involving major franchises such as the New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors, and Los Angeles Lakers. For Barkley, the distinction was clear. “Christmas is an NBA day,” he said.
Charles Barkley’s Recent Controversial Moments Off The Court
Barkley’s outspoken nature has been on full display in recent months. In October, he criticized players and coaches involved in an early-season gambling scandal. “This ain’t got nothing to do with addiction,” he said on Inside the NBA. “These dudes are stupid.”
He continued, “Under no circumstances can you fix basketball games. Under no circumstances. I love to gamble. The notion (Terry) Rozier makes $26 million. His betting, giving people information, or taking yourself out of games, how much is he going to benefit taking himself out of the game to get unders? He’s making $26 million.”
In 2024, Barkley also commented on the relationship between Scottie Pippen’s ex-wife, Larsa Pippen, and Michael Jordan’s son, Marcus Jordan. “I feel bad for Michael. I feel bad for Scottie. That is so messy,” he said on Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay podcast.
“I don’t like messy because when it’s messy, everybody has an opinion on it.” He added, “Everybody has an opinion, and you know the Internet is not a place for messy. And you have to understand that there’s a lot of kids involved and people are mean.”
In Case You Missed: Charles Barkley Details 2012 Phone Call That Ended His Friendship With Michael Jordan
Charles Barkley retired from the NBA in 2000 after a distinguished 16-year career with the Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, and Houston Rockets. An 11-time All-Star and the league’s 1993 Most Valuable Player, Barkley was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
Since hanging up his sneakers, Barkley has carved out a prominent second career as a television analyst, joining TNT’s Inside the NBA in 2000. Known for his unfiltered opinions and candid commentary, he has become one of the most recognizable and influential voices in modern sports media, helping define the show’s identity and earning widespread acclaim for his fearless takes.
