Amid escalating violence against Christians in Nigeria, dozens of current and former NFL players and coaches united to demand that America provide security, sanctions, and aid in the troubled nation.
More than 80 people with pro-football connections signed a Dec. 19 letter to President Trump and U.S. congressional leaders. “Religious and ethnic persecution in Nigeria has reached a level that demands immediate, concrete action from the United States,” it began.
As people who “care deeply about justice,” the letter continued, “we are grieved and outraged by the mounting violence, and we write to urge you to act now to confront religious persecution in Nigeria and ensure that those responsible are held to account.” About 130 NFL players are from Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country.
Almost half of Nigerians are Christian. Yet the nation ranks seventh on the Open Doors World Watch List, which tracks where believers experience extreme persecution.
During the first seven months of 2025, an average of 32 to 35 Nigerian Christians were killed each day. Since 2009, an estimated 52,000 Christians have been killed there.
NFL Players: ‘Concern Is No Longer Sufficient’
As ChurchLeaders has reported, armed groups are kidnapping pastors and worshipers in Nigeria. On Oct. 31, President Trump announced that he was making Nigeria a “country of particular concern” and that “something must be done!” He said he asked some members of Congress to “immediately look into this matter.”
High-profile figures who have spoken out against the persecution of Nigerian Christians include evangelist Franklin Graham, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and rapper Nicki Minaj.
Benjamin Watson, who for years has warned about the “pure genocide” occurring in Nigeria, initiated the Dec. 19 letter to Capitol Hill. The retired NFL player and outspoken Christian is now editor-in-chief of Sports Spectrum. Watson and wife Kirsten are among the signatories who have links to the media company.
Sports Spectrum wants to do “all we can” to help persecuted Christians in Nigeria, said President Steve Stenstrom. “This isn’t a left or right issue,” he added. “It’s a life-or-death issue for people on the ground.”
Other people with NFL ties who signed the letter include Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins, Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson, and former coach Tony Dungy.
“We appreciate previous statements condemning violence and recognizing the suffering [by Nigerian Christians], but concern is no longer sufficient,” the group wrote. “The lives at stake cannot wait.”
Athletes Speak Out for Nigerian Christians
The athletes said they feel morally responsible to speak out, “as men who have been entrusted with a public platform through the National Football League.” They asked President Trump and other U.S. leaders to “use the full weight of your offices to defend the fundamental right to live and worship freely.”
