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Detroit Lions’ Amon-Ra St. Brown Voices Concerns About Holiday Games
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown has shared his thoughts on the increasing trend of NFL games being scheduled on major holidays like Christmas. In a recent episode of his podcast, “St. Brown Podcast,” which he co-hosts with his brother Equanimeous, St. Brown expressed his feelings about playing on these days, especially considering the impact it has on players’ family time.
The Detroit Lions have a long-standing tradition of playing on Thanksgiving Day. This year, in addition to their Thanksgiving game, they are also scheduled to play against the Minnesota Vikings on Christmas Day.
St. Brown acknowledged that while playing on Thanksgiving is part of being a Lion, he finds it difficult to spend both Thanksgiving and Christmas on the field. “The two biggest holidays, I feel like, in the United States, we played on both of them,” St. Brown said to his brother.
His comments touched on a broader sentiment among players, particularly those with families. St. Brown, who does not have children himself, articulated the potential challenges for players who are parents. He emphasized the importance of spending holidays with family, particularly the joy of watching children open gifts, something he feels players miss out on when they have to work.
“And I don’t even have kids yet. If I had kids, I’d be even more [frustrated]. Like, you can’t be spending it with your family, get to see your kids open gifts. I feel like that’s something that a lot of parents love to see and can’t wait for,” St. Brown added.
The added element of travel for the Christmas Day game further complicates the situation for St. Brown and his teammates. Having to travel during the holidays adds extra stress and further reduces the time they can spend with their loved ones.
Adding to his concerns, St. Brown is currently dealing with a knee injury sustained during a recent game. He has been listed as questionable for the upcoming game.
Beyond the holiday scheduling concerns, the Lions are facing a critical juncture in their season. With playoff hopes on the line, the team needs to win their remaining games. The outcome of their recent game against the Pittsburgh Steelers was particularly tough. A late touchdown by St. Brown was called back due to a penalty, which ultimately affected the game’s final result.
Adding to the frustration, St. Brown was later flagged for offensive pass interference on the final play, negating a touchdown.
