More than 60 NFL players just sent a letter to President Trump and Congress declaring that “concern is no longer sufficient” for the daily slaughter of Christians in Nigeria, where an average of 32 to 35 believers are murdered every single day.
When Athletes Become Ambassadors for the Persecuted
Professional football players typically make headlines for touchdowns and tackles, not foreign policy letters to Capitol Hill. Yet on December 19, 2025, more than 60 current and former NFL players did exactly that, sending a formal letter to President Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and congressional leaders demanding immediate action against what they call the systematic slaughter of Christians in Nigeria.
The letter represents an extraordinary moment in athlete activism, moving beyond domestic social justice issues to international religious persecution. Retired NFL player Benjamin Watson, who initiated the effort as editor-in-chief of Sports Spectrum, has been warning about what he calls “pure genocide” in Nigeria for years. This time, he assembled an impressive coalition of current stars and coaching legends to amplify the message.
The Staggering Mathematics of Modern Martyrdom
The numbers behind the NFL players’ urgency paint a horrifying picture of systematic violence. During the first seven months of 2025 alone, an average of 32 to 35 Nigerian Christians were killed each day. Since 2009, an estimated 52,000 Christians have died in attacks by extremist groups and ethnic militias exploiting religious and tribal divisions across Africa’s most populous nation.
Nigeria now ranks seventh on the Open Doors World Watch List for extreme Christian persecution, despite nearly half its 200 million citizens identifying as Christian. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has designated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” for more than a decade, yet the violence continues escalating with apparent impunity.
This is really cool. 👏
Over 60 Christian NFL players writing to @POTUS & US leaders over persecution in Nigeria 🇳🇬. They note may NFL players have Nigerian ties, & the resiliency of Nigerians even as they face “ongoing brutality.”
They call for greater security, esp in Middle… pic.twitter.com/MPZ34Wv8wg
— Sean Nelson (@Sean_ADFIntl) December 19, 2025
From Presidential Tweets to Policy Pressure
The NFL letter builds on President Trump’s October 31, 2025, designation of Nigeria as a country of particular concern, when he declared that “something must be done!” The players argue that presidential statements and expressions of concern, while appreciated, no longer match the scale of the crisis facing Nigerian believers who send emergency calls that go unanswered by security forces.
The athletes propose concrete policy changes, including conditioning U.S. military assistance on security benchmarks, expanding humanitarian aid for internally displaced populations, and filling the currently vacant Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom position. Their approach reflects a sophisticated understanding of foreign policy levers, not just moral outrage at injustice.
Strategic Timing and Celebrity Leverage
The involvement of high-profile quarterbacks like Houston’s C.J. Stroud, San Francisco’s Brock Purdy, and veteran Kirk Cousins brings serious star power to an issue that often struggles for mainstream media attention. Coaching legend Tony Dungy and rising college star TreVeyon Henderson add generational breadth to the coalition, while the timing capitalizes on Trump’s stated concern about Nigerian Christians.
Nigeria’s connection to the NFL runs deeper than headlines suggest. Approximately 130 current NFL players trace their heritage to Nigeria, creating personal stakes in the country’s stability. Steve Stenstrom, president of Sports Spectrum, emphasizes that this transcends partisan politics: “This isn’t a left or right issue” but rather “life-or-death” for believers facing systematic targeting.
Sources:
Christian NFL players speak out on religious persecution in Nigeria
CJ Stroud, Brock Purdy, Kirk Cousins Among NFL Athletes Urging Action on Nigeria
NFL players urge Trump, Congress to address religious persecution in Nigeria
82 NFL players and coaches sign letter calling for U.S. action on Christian persecution in Nigeria