Dive into the history, traditions, and memorable moments of NFL Thanksgiving games, including records, key teams, and standout performances.
From 1920 onwards, the National Football League (NFL) has traditionally held games on Thanksgiving Day, inspired by the long-standing tradition of college football games being played around this time of year.
Since 1934, the Detroit Lions have always hosted one of the NFL’s Thanksgiving Day games, while the Dallas Cowboys have hosted one since 1966 (except for 1975 and 1977).
Starting in 2006, a third prime-time game has been added to the Thanksgiving Day lineup. In contrast to the two-afternoon games, this particular game does not have predetermined teams.
In 2001, the NFL started calling the games the Thanksgiving Classic. The branding was changed to the John Madden Thanksgiving Celebration in 2022, in memory of John Madden who passed away in December 2021.
The Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys typically have a Thanksgiving Day football game every year. The Lions have played on the holiday since 1934, while the Cowboys have done so since 1966.
The Detroit Lions (82 appearances) and the Dallas Cowboys (54 appearances) hold the record for the most Thanksgiving Day game appearances but have never faced each other.
Both teams have exclusively hosted home games on Thanksgiving, which explains their lack of head-to-head matchups on the holiday. Buffalo Bills running back O.J.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are the only active NFL team that has never played a game on Thanksgiving Day.
The every-year tradition of playing football on Thanksgiving, NFL style, dates back to 1934 when the Detroit Spartans hosted the World Champion Chicago Bears.
The record for the most points scored by a single team on Thanksgiving is 55, achieved by two teams: the Miami Dolphins in a 55-14 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in 1977, and the Detroit Lions in a 55-20 win against the Chicago Bears in 1997.
The cherished tradition of NFL games on Thanksgiving dates back to 1934. Since the start of the Super Bowl era, the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys have been annual hosts of Thanksgiving Day matchups.
The Lions’ Thanksgiving Day tradition began in 1934. Except for the years 1939-1944 due to World War II, they have played every year since. Detroit holds a 37-45-2 record on Turkey Day, with a nine-game losing streak from 2004-2012 and the ongoing winless stretch since 2016 contributing to their overall struggles.
Image Credit – Green Bay Packers-Detroit Lions at Ford Field, Thursday, November 24, 2011 (Imagn Images)
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