NFL Thanksgiving Games: History, traditions and best moments

[ROD-BOT]

Welcome to Thanksgiving in the NFL: Everything you need to know about the history, records, moments and more

This Thanksgiving Day tradition dates back to 1934. We revisit the beginning, the biggest performers and the best moments.

www.espn.com

NFL Thanksgiving Games: History, traditions and best moments​

Thanksgiving Day to sports fans is as much about football as it is about the traditional turkey dinner. From high school football in the morning to watching the afternoon game on TV as dinner starts, this tradition is as old as time. Well, almost as old as time.

The Detroit Lions have played at home on Thanksgiving every year since 1934 -- except when games were paused from 1939 to 1944 during World War II. The annual holiday tradition expanded to add a home game for the Dallas Cowboys in the 1960s. These franchises -- and their fans -- only know football on Thanksgiving. In 2006, the NFL added a third game with no specific host team to the prime-time window.

The 2023 Thanksgiving Day schedule:

Green Bay Packers at Lions: 12:30 p.m. ET, Fox

Washington Commodes at Cowboys: 4:30 p.m. ET, CBS

San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks: 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC

So why do the Lions and Cowboys always play at home on Thanksgiving? What does the day look like for the coaches, players, families and fans who put their holiday celebrations on pause to take part? And how many thousands of pounds of food is served at the stadium? We asked NFL Nation reporters Todd Archer and Eric Woodyard to explain the history.

We have also laid out the Thanksgiving stats and numbers you should know and even took a journey back in time to explore the biggest and best moments on the turkey day stage. (Note: This article was originally posted in November 2021 and has been updated for 2023.)

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Welcome to Thanksgiving in the NFL: Everything you need to know about the history, records, moments and more

This Thanksgiving Day tradition dates back to 1934. We revisit the beginning, the biggest performers and the best moments.

www.espn.com

 

[snackdaddy]

Growing up football as a big tradition in my family. My father loved watching football. His team was the Packers but he didn't care who played. He just loved watching the games every week.

On Thanksgiving I'd walk down to a friend's house in the small town I grew up in. We'd get some other kids together and all head down to the school about a mile away to play tackle football on the football field.

My older brother didn't play football so he'd be the one to come on his bike and tell me dinner was just about ready. Then I'd go home and stuff myself waiting for the next day to play some more football.

 

[den-the-coach]

Well, as much as I was anti-Cowboy in the 70's Thanksgiving Day November 28th Washington vs Dallas and the Redskins (yes I posted Redskins) wanted to knock out Roger Staubach because all Dallas had behind him was Clint Longley.

I told everyone at age 8 then, when they indeed knocked Staubach out of the game, "Watch out for Clint Longley." Not sure why I said it, just liked his name and again uttered: "Longley can throw the Long ball." Again, I had no idea who he was, never saw him play, it was just something to say, in front of about 35 Italian relatives.

Longley goes out and throws for 203 yards and two td's in less then a half and boom I was now the chosen one.