Bah humbug! With the release of the NFL schedule, fans of the Kansas City Chiefs learned that the Chiefs will once again be gracing prime time on Christmas. And I am none too happy about it.
Apparently, rumors that the NFL was not going to let Kansas City be the annual "Christmas Team" were greatly exaggerated. This marks three straight years, and like the winter snow, it doesn't show signs of stopping.
Look, it's a great business decision for Kansas City. But for the fans, and especially those of us who hold Christmas to be a sacred holiday, it is further intrusion into our lives by the NFL that nobody asked for. As a Christian, I don't see them putting NFL games on any other religious holidays, so why this one?
Not every fan is thrilled about the NFL turning the holiday into an annual Chiefsmas.
The NFL already knows how addicted we are to its product. Putting our favorite teams on TV during a day we should be spending with family and contemplating faith seems like a bartender handing an already way-too-intoxicated guest another drink, knowing full well they can't handle it.
This doesn't even take into consideration the players and coaches, either. Assuming this becomes an annual tradition for Kansas City, it means our best players could go portions of their careers not being able to spend Christmas at home with family. That is tragic.
And as has been pointed out, the Chiefs won't be good forever. There will come a day when a less-than-stellar team will have to try and attract free agents, and playing on Christmas every year will most certainly be something they take into consideration. And I don't think it will play well for the Chiefs.
The Lions and the Cowboys have been playing forever on Thanksgiving, so there is precedent for this. But what if, for once, we set aside precedent? What if, for one day a year, we put football—and the Chiefs—aside for things that matter more? Even if you don't celebrate Christmas or aren't particularly religious, I think that's something we can all get behind.
So, my Christmas letter to Santa this year is simple: All I want for Christmas is, well, Christmas—and not another Chiefsmas.
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