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Why do the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions always play on Thanksgiving?
When you think of Thanksgiving, certain images probably spring to the forefront of your mind. There’s undoubtedly a table full of food, whether it’s an idealized version à la Norman Rockwell or something more akin to real life. And, for many families, football is probably a part of that equation.
Over the years, the NFL has successfully staked its claim to Turkey Day, with the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys becoming as much as of a holiday fixture as turkey and stuffing. But have you ever wondered why they’re ever-presents?
As with many other seasonal mysteries, it largely comes down to tradition.
Composite image of Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions coaches and players. The two NFL rivals are as much a part of Thanksgiving as turkey and stuffing.
Photo-illustration by Newsweek
Why Do the Cowboys Play Every Thanksgiving?
There are plenty of cliches about how you can’t get an opportunity without asking for it. Former Cowboys president and general manager Tex Schramm apparently took that to heart.
As laid out in a 2021 Dallas Morning News post, Schramm volunteered his team for a second Thanksgiving Day game (the Lions, as we’ll discuss shortly, were already playing on the holiday). The offer, however, came on one condition: the Cowboys would play that contest at home.
The gambit promptly paid off. Dallas took to the field on Thanksgiving 1966 and beat the visiting Cleveland Browns 26-14. To make things even sweeter for Schramm, more than 82,000 fans piled into the Cotton Bowl to watch the game.
The Cowboys have played away from home twice, in 1975 and 1977, but those games were outliers.
Why Do the Lions Play Every Thanksgiving?
When the Cowboys entered the Thanksgiving Day picture, they were the new kids on the block. The Lions, believe it or not, have an even longer history on the holiday.
As explained by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the tradition dates back to 1934 when George A. Richards bought the Portsmouth Spartans, moved them to Detroit and rebranded the club as the Lions. Looking to make a splash during the initial campaign in the Motor City, Richards not only scheduled a Thanksgiving game against the Chicago Bears, but struck a deal with NBC to broadcast the game across 94 radio stations.
Detroit lost that day, but the game proved to be a massive public relations success. It was such a hit that barring a break for World War II, the Lions have hosted an annual Turkey Day contest ever since.
Do Other Teams Play on Thanksgiving?
While the Lions and the Cowboys are synonymous with Thanksgiving Day football, they don’t hold a monopoly on the holiday. Since both teams traditionally host home games, two other clubs have to enter the fray to complete the matchups.
The NFL made things a triple-header in 2006, making even more space on the holiday schedule. The Kansas City Chiefs hosted the first edition of that third contest—KC’s founder and original owner had advocated for a third Turkey Day game—but they didn’t become a fixture like Detroit and Dallas. That means two additional franchises get a spot in the limelight each year.
Over the years, every currently active NFL team has gotten a chance to play on Thanksgiving barring one: the Jacksonville Jaguars.
What Was the ‘Thanksgiving Day Massacre?’
When you settle in to watch some festive football, you’re probably rooting for an evenly matched contest, assuming you don’t have any skin in the game. The “Thanksgiving Day Massacre” however, was a bit one-sided.
That contest took place in 1962, when the defending champion Green Bay Packers visited the Detroit Lions. The hosts jumped out to a 14-0 lead and never looked back.
Detroit’s defense dominated the day, limiting Green Bay to 122 yards of total offense. Quarterback Bart Starr threw two interceptions and took his lumps from the Lions’ pass rush; the finer statistical details are unclear, but he was probably sacked at least 10 times. One of those tackles for a loss resulted in a safety, and another turned into a fumble that Detroit recovered for a touchdown.
While the 26-14 score line doesn’t seem that dramatic, the punishment that the Lions’ defense dished out, the game has earned a place in NFL history as the “Thanksgiving Day Massacre.”
2024 NFL Games: Schedule, Matchups and Times
So, with all of that history established, who will be taking the field on Thanksgiving 2024?
As per tradition, the Detroit Lions will host the early game, facing off against the Chicago Bears at 12:30 p.m. ET on CBS. And while NFL fans will remember years of questioning why awful Lions teams had to play on Thanksgiving, the current squad is certainly worth the watch.
The middle matchup looked good when the schedule came out, but the New York Giants’ visit to the Dallas Cowboys (4:30 p.m. ET on Fox) has lost some luster. The game is a rivalry, but with both clubs struggling and playing without their opening day starters (Dak Prescott is injured and Daniel Jones has been benched), this one could be a slog.
The 8:30 p.m. ET nightcap (NBC) features the Miami Dolphins and the Green Bay Packers. If you haven’t drifted off into a turkey-fueled nap by then, the game will feature both plenty of talent and some potential playoff implications. It will also be interesting to see if the Dolphins can cope with a chilly Wisconsin evening; Florida teams struggling in cold road games is a bit of a cliché, but Miami didn’t exactly disprove that theory during a freezing playoff game last season.
And, if that’s not enough for you, there will also be a Black Friday game as the Kansas City Chiefs host the Las Vegas Raiders at 3 p.m. ET (Prime Video). If last year’s Christmas Day edition of the classic rivalry is any indication, expect a hard-fought contest with at least a few twists and turns along the way.