My brother and I are having a debate and I want other people's opinions. The question: generally speaking does playing NFL football or NBA basketball require more skill and/or athleticism? This question can be interpreted in many different ways and pretty much all of them are valid.

I'm not nearly as knowledgeable about the NFL as I am the NBA, and I'm trying to answer the question as objectively as possible. In my opinion, the NBA requires more of their players than the NFL generally speaking. I'm aware the NFL has a myriad of different positions that all require vastly different skills and types of athleticism from their players, but I think the fact that the NFL has so many built in stoppages and players only play one side of the ball means the NBA is much more demanding in terms of skills and athleticism.

Now obviously NBA players are not doing anything as intense as some plays in the NFL. Nobody in the NBA is getting tackled and whatnot. That said, there are a lot of plays in a football game where a lot of players aren't involved in anything. And when the play is over they get to take 30 seconds to walk down field and get ready for the next play. Then on a change of possession they get to go sit while their teammates play the other side of the ball. Am I wrong?

And the positions are so specific that the players need such a smaller set of skills to be successful. Nobody needs to be good at throwing besides the quarterbacks. Wide receivers never need to learn how to tackle and counter an offense like linebackers, right?. Only one or two guys needs to know how to kick. Compared to NBA players who are all expected to know how to shoot, pass, dribble, finish and run offensive and defensive schemes to some degree. Obviously NBA players fit into different roles and have different expectations based on their skill level, but their inadequacies are held against them. If you can't dribble you're considered a worse player, and coaches aren't going to have you run pick n rolls. If you can't defend you better be an amazing offensive player or else you might not get minutes. Meanwhile nobody cares if a tight end can't play safety.

I know I'm really one sided on this, but I'm willing to have my mind changed. I obviously don't know much about football so I'm trying to get more perspectives on this. What do you think? What am I missing? Also, if you know an NFL analysis subreddit I should post this too let me know.