Why the Cowboys and Lions always play on Thanksgiving Day: Every NFL team’s record on the holiday

Bears-Lions have the game at 12:30 pm ET, while Giants-Cowboys play at 4:30 pm ET. and the Dolphins and Packers play at 8:20 pm ET.

The Lions started the tradition in 1934 when owner George A. Richards wanted to attract more fans. The salesman’s plan worked and the team, which sometimes lost fans to the more regular Detroit Tigers, bought its stadium and later some. The team had to direct the public away from the gates because so many people confirmed that they were aware of the Lions games.

Richards not only owned the NFL franchise but also an NBC-affiliated radio station and struck a deal with NBC to broadcast its games on television on 94 stations.

The Lions didn’t invent football on Thanksgiving Day (other teams had played in bed before), but Detroit got the community’s business to put it aside. The only season in which the Lions did not play games on Thanksgiving Day was from 1939 to 1944, when the field was embroiled in International War II.

In addition to lions, turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes being staples at Thanksgiving, Cowboys are also normal in the dream.

Their tradition began in 1966 when general manager Tex Schramm signed to play games at that speed to gain greater national exposure. Like the Lions, the Cowboys had record crowds at the Wool Bowl.

Their tradition began that way, and instead, in 1975 and 1977, when the St. Louis Cardinals received the dream sport, the team played at turkey speed.

A primetime matchup was added to the combine in 2006, adding more sleep exposure for the league and increasing appearances for most of the NFL on Thanksgiving Day. Here’s a look at how the 31 teams that performed in the dream fared. The Jaguars have not started playing games on Thanksgiving Day.

NFL Thanksgiving Group Data

• Arizona Cardinals, 6-15-2 all-time | Wrapping up Thanksgiving sports: 48-20 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2008
• Atlanta Falcons, 1-3 all-time | Wrapping up Thanksgiving sports: 26-18 loss to the Untouched Orleans Saints in 2019
• Baltimore Ravens, 2-0 all-time | Wrapping up Thanksgiving sports: 22-20 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2013
• Buffalo Spending, 6-4-1 All-Time | Wrapping up Thanksgiving sports: 28-25 win over Detroit Lions in 2022
• Carolina Panthers, 1-0 all-time | Wrapping up Thanksgiving sports: 33-14 win over the Dallas Cowboys in 2015
• Chicago Bears, 20-15-2 all-time | Wrapping up Thanksgiving sports: 16-14 win over Detroit Lions in 2021
• Cincinnati Bengals, 0-1 all-time | Wrapping up Thanksgiving sports: 26-10 loss to the Untouched York Jets in 2010
• Cleveland Browns, 0-3 all time | Wrapping up Thanksgiving sports: 13-10 loss to the Detroit Lions in 1989
• Dallas Cowboys, 33-22-1 all-time | Wrapping up Thanksgiving sports: 45-10 win over Commanders in 2023
• Denver Broncos, 4-7 all time | Wrapping up Thanksgiving sports: 26-6 win over the Untouched York Giants in 2009
• Detroit Lions, 37-45-2 all-time | Wrapping up the Thanksgiving game: 29-22 loss to the Packers in 2023
• Green Bay Packers, 15-20-2 all-time | Wrapping up Thanksgiving sports: 29-22 win over Lions in 2023
• Houston Texans, 2-0 all-time | Wrapping up Thanksgiving sports: 41-25 win over Texans in 2020
• Indianapolis Colts, 2-1-1 all-time | Wrapping up Thanksgiving sports: 28-7 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2016
• Jacksonville Jaguars never played on Thanksgiving
• Kansas Town Chiefs, 5-5 all-time | Wrapping up Thanksgiving sports: 19-10 win over the Denver Broncos in 2006
• Los Angeles Chargers, 3-1 all-time | Wrapping up Thanksgiving sports: 28-6 win over the Dallas Cowboys in 2017
• Los Angeles Rams, 3-1 all-time | Wrapping up Thanksgiving sports: 20-0 win over the Detroit Lions in 1975
• Miami Dolphins, 5-2 all-time | Wrapping up Thanksgiving sports: 20-19 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in 2011
• Minnesota Vikings, 7-2 all-time | Wrapping up Thanksgiving sports: 33-26 win over the Untouched England Patriots in 2022
• England Patriots intact, 3-3 all-time | Wrapping up Thanksgiving sports: 33-26 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in 2022
• Orleans Saints intact, 3-1 all-time | Wrapping up the Thanksgiving game: 31-6 loss to Buffalo Bills in 2021
• York Giants intact, 7-6-3 all-time | Wrapping up Thanksgiving sports: 28-20 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in 2022
• York Jets intact, 4-4 all-time | Wrapping up Thanksgiving sports: 49-19 loss to the Untouched England Patriots in 2012
• Las Vegas Raiders, 4-4 all-time | Wrapping up the Thanksgiving game: 36-33 overtime win over the Dallas Cowboys in 2021
• Philadelphia Eagles, 6-1 all-time | Wrapping up Thanksgiving sports: 45-14 loss to the Detroit Lions in 2015
• Pittsburgh Steelers, 2-6 all-time | Wrapping up Thanksgiving sports: 28-7 win over the Indianapolis Colts in 2016
• San Francisco 49ers, 3-2-1 all-time | Wrapping up the Thanksgiving game: 31-13 win over Seahawks in 2023
• Seattle Seahawks, 2-3 all-time | Wrapping up Thanksgiving sports: 31-13 loss to 49ers in 2023
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 0-1 all-time | Wrapping up Thanksgiving sports: 38-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in 2006
• Tennessee Titans, 5-2 all-time | Wrapping up Thanksgiving sports: 47-10 win over the Detroit Lions in 2008
• Washington Commanders, 4-9 all-time | Wrapping up Thanksgiving sports: 45-10 loss to Commanders in 2023