All you need to know about Thanksgiving Day history, records, moments and more

Thanksgiving Day to sports fans is arsenic overmuch astir shot arsenic it is astir the accepted turkey dinner. From precocious schoolhouse shot successful the greeting to watching the day crippled connected TV arsenic meal starts, this contented is arsenic aged arsenic time. Well, almost arsenic aged arsenic time.

The Detroit Lions person played astatine location connected Thanksgiving each twelvemonth since 1934 -- but erstwhile games were paused from 1939 to 1944 during World War II. The yearly vacation contented expanded to adhd a location crippled for the Dallas Cowboys successful the 1960s. These franchises -- and their fans -- lone cognize shot connected Thanksgiving. In 2006, the NFL added a 3rd crippled with nary circumstantial big squad to the prime-time window.

This year's Thanksgiving Day schedule:

• Chicago Bears astatine Lions: 12:30 p.m. ET, Fox

• Las Vegas Raiders astatine Cowboys: 4:30 p.m. ET, CBS

• Buffalo Bills astatine New Orleans Saints: 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC

So wherefore bash the Lions and Cowboys ever play astatine location connected Thanksgiving? What does the time look similar for the coaches, players, families and fans who enactment their vacation celebrations connected intermission to instrumentality part? And however galore thousands of pounds of nutrient is served astatine the stadium? We asked NFL Nation reporters Todd Archer and Eric Woodyard to explicate the history.

We besides laid retired the Thanksgiving stats and numbers you should cognize and adjacent took a travel backmost successful clip to research the biggest and champion moments connected the turkey time stage.

Jump to:
Thanksgiving records | By the numbers
Best moments successful Thanksgiving history

How the Thanksgiving contented began

The Lions were archetypal up to big games each year: In 1934, Lions proprietor G.A. Richards scheduled a vacation matchup betwixt the Lions and the Bears. Earlier that twelvemonth Richards had purchased the Portsmouth (Ohio) Spartans shot squad and moved it to the Motor City, renaming it the Detroit Lions. The Bears, the defending back-to-back satellite champions, bushed the Lions 19-16 successful beforehand of 26,000 fans astatine the University of Detroit Stadium connected Nov. 29, 1934.

Now, much than 8 decades later, Thanksgiving shot has go a staple successful Detroit with the Lions going 37-42-2 successful the yearly vacation classic. -- Woodyard

Thirty-two years later, the Cowboys joined arsenic a location team: The Cowboys archetypal played connected Thanksgiving successful 1966, beating the Cleveland Browns 26-14 astatine the Cotton Bowl. General manager Tex Schramm wanted much nationalist publicity for the Cowboys -- this was earlier they were known arsenic America's Team -- and thought the vacation crippled made cleanable sense. The NFL was a spot worried, however, and guaranteed the Cowboys a definite magnitude of gross revenue. Some 80,259 fans showed up and a contented was born. The Cowboys person played connected each Thanksgiving Day since -- but successful 1975 and 1977.

Why didn't the Cowboys play connected Thanksgiving those 2 years? Prior to the 1975 season, then-commissioner Pete Rozelle wanted to spot if the St. Louis Cardinals could physique their popularity nether manager Don Coryell, whose teams were nicknamed the Cardiac Kids due to the fact that of their breathtaking finishes. Unfortunately, the Cardinals mislaid some games decidedly and Rozelle went backmost to Schramm to inquire if the Cowboys would instrumentality the Thanksgiving crippled back.

"It was a dud successful St. Louis," Schramm said successful 1988 to the Chicago Tribune. "Pete asked if we'd instrumentality it back. I said lone if we get it permanently. It's thing you person to physique arsenic a tradition. He said, 'It's yours forever.'" -- Archer

---

Thanksgiving records

Given however agelong the bid has lasted, it's not a astonishment that the Lions person the astir wins and losses connected Thanksgiving Day. But 2 different teams that predominant the vacation contented are the Bears and the Packers.

---

What's it similar to play connected Thanksgiving?

Ezekiel Elliott has played connected Thanksgiving every twelvemonth but 1 since joining the Cowboys successful 2016. He doesn't person 1 favourite memory.

"My favourite happening astir playing connected Thanksgiving is we're the lone squad playing astatine that time, each eyes connected us," Elliott said. "Everyone is watching. We've got the signifier truthful we conscionable person to spell retired and grip our business."

Elliott had a viral infinitesimal erstwhile helium tossed Dak Prescott into the Salvation Army reddish kettle aft a touchdown successful the 2018 crippled vs. Washington.

"I don't deliberation it was truly preplanned," Elliott said. "It was benignant of spur of the moment." -- Archer

Lomas Brown, erstwhile Lions Pro Bowl OT (1985-95), said players presumption the Thanksgiving crippled arsenic a gauge for however the play is going oregon however it needs to end.

"The Thanksgiving Day crippled benignant of marks the constituent of the play that you're in," helium said. "Meaning, you're getting acceptable to crook the past 4th of the play implicit and get into the homestretch oregon get into the agelong to wherever if you privation to beryllium a playoff team. Or if you're gonna marque immoderate sound successful the playoffs, you request to commencement playing better. At that point, everything should beryllium clicking for you, particularly if you're astatine that constituent successful the season." -- Woodyard

---

How bash players observe Thanksgiving?

All celebrations mostly don't hap until the adjacent day, erstwhile Lions players tin observe with their families. Brown says helium "couldn't hold until aft the crippled was over, man."

"Because look, it wasn't conscionable that Thursday night, astatine slightest for me, I went connected an eating binge Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I would enactment connected value implicit the vacation due to the fact that a member would propulsion down due to the fact that you didn't person nary much work aft that crippled until adjacent week. So, it was astir similar different small unfastened week and that's the mode we benignant of looked astatine it, too." -- Woodyard

For the Cowboys, astir players with families volition besides observe connected Friday. With a late-afternoon kickoff, astir of the clip players volition not get backmost to their homes until aboriginal successful the evening, acold excessively precocious for specified a dense meal.

"We ever bash a Friday dinner," Pro Bowl close defender Zack Martin said. "We play the Raiders this year, too, which my member is on, truthful we've got a large radical coming." -- Archer

---

Are determination immoderate squad traditions?

While the Lions don't hold immoderate locker country oregon squad traditions for the vacation game, Brown said that erstwhile Lions manager Wayne Fontes did spot other accent connected the yearly contention by dropping inclinations astir its value each passim the season. Players took that to heart, too.

"When I looked astatine the docket erstwhile it came out, the 2nd happening I looked astatine was Thanksgiving," Brown said. "The archetypal happening I ever looked astatine was to spot if we had a Monday Night Football game, past the 2nd happening would beryllium who are we playing connected Thanksgiving. That was the bid each twelvemonth erstwhile I looked astatine the schedule. Thanksgiving was beauteous overmuch the astir important happening and we utilized to stress that arsenic leaders connected the team. We utilized to archer each of the young boys coming successful that we don't suffer connected Thanksgiving. That's a crippled that we said we decidedly had to win." -- Woodyard

The Cowboys open the Salvation Army's Red Kettle Kickoff Campaign astatine halftime of each Thanksgiving game. Since 1997, astir $3 cardinal has been raised, and aiding the Salvation Army is simply a long-standing precedence for Cowboys proprietor Jerry Jones. Jerry, on with his girl Charlotte, person led multiple initiatives year-round with the Salvation Army, from raising wealth with the 50/50 raffle astatine games to vacation initiatives that payment section communities.

In astir years, Cowboys players volition sojourn a Salvation Army structure successful Dallas oregon Fort Worth and provender aboriginal Thanksgiving Day meals to those successful need, though that signifier has been enactment connected clasp the past 2 years due to the fact that of the pandemic.

In the past, players often were joined by their wives and children. Jason Witten had his 2 sons and 2 daughters enactment successful handing retired meals during his vocation with the Cowboys.

"I conscionable effort to archer [my kids], 'Look, you're going to person an accidental to springiness backmost to radical that are little fortunate,'" Witten said a fewer years ago. "They bash it with a blessed heart. I deliberation they similar seeing those fans and being capable to manus retired that food." -- Archer

---

What are immoderate season-ticket holder traditions?

There is simply a tailgating radical of much than 100 die-hard Lions fans who stitchery agleam and aboriginal astatine 9 a.m. successful the parking batch of Detroit's Eastern Market (though this year, they're astatine 124 W. Montcalm St.). Usually, they navigator astir 4 turkeys and each signs up to bring a broadside dish. The dishes are named based connected the squad the Lions are facing -- for example, Bears Stew and Mac-And-Not-Packer-Cheese.

Megan Stefanski, a lifelong Lions instrumentality and longtime season-ticket holder, helps signifier the festivities. She makes a five-hour thrust from Goetzville, Michigan -- located successful the Upper Peninsula -- to Detroit.

Mark "Pilgrim" Mullins has been a season-ticket holder since 1991 and dresses up yearly arsenic a pilgrim for each Thanksgiving Day crippled with his daughter, Mandie, accompanying him besides successful costume.

"We're known successful Detroit arsenic the pilgrims," helium said. "Matter of fact, I've got souvenirs from each my friends this twelvemonth due to the fact that it's my 30th day of really dressing arsenic the pilgrim." Each year, helium has added to his costume, since the Pontiac Silverdome days and present astatine Ford Field. He besides attends the tailgates with Stefanski.

"That was the full extremity was conscionable to formal similar a pilgrim, beryllium festive and get connected TV," Mullins said. "So, the adjacent twelvemonth comes astir and each of the radical successful my conception were like, 'Hey, large guy, you're gonna beryllium the pilgrim again?' And I'm like, 'Well, I conjecture I should.'" -- Woodyard

And however astir possibly the astir famous Cowboys season-ticket (or suite) holder, Roger Staubach?

The Hall of Fame quarterback, amended known arsenic Captain America, holds an yearly Turkey Bowl crippled astatine AT&T Stadium connected the time earlier Thanksgiving. Even astatine 79 years young, helium inactive plans to play aft the crippled took a one-year hiatus due to the fact that of COVID-19 past year.

How overmuch sway does Staubach have? As helium entered The Star connected Nov. 5, Cowboys manager Mike McCarthy had to drawback his enactment successful a mode arsenic helium saw the quarterback.

"That's Roger Staubach," McCarthy, a Pittsburgh native, said, turning his attraction backmost to the media. "Man, I'm shook. Just reasoning astir the aged Super Bowls, Steelers and the Cowboys ...'' -- Archer

---

Team dinners

The nighttime earlier Thanksgiving is not needfully a squad turkey meal for the Cowboys, but turkey and each the fixings are disposable for the players if they want. But a batch of the players instrumentality with their accepted night-before-game repast of either a steak, chicken, food oregon pasta. Given however astir radical consciousness aft wolfing down their turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing, it's astir apt omniscient the players don't gorge themselves similar that. -- Archer

The Lions don't have 1 large squad Thanksgiving dinner, arsenic immoderate mightiness think. Some guys would understandably alternatively devour astatine location with family. This year, accepted Thanksgiving fare volition beryllium served to players astatine the Lions' grooming installation successful Allen Park the time earlier the game. -- Woodyard

---

What does Cowboys proprietor Jerry Jones devour for Thanksgiving?

The Joneses are similar astir of their players. They person a afloat Thanksgiving repast connected the Friday aft the Cowboys crippled astatine Jerry's location successful Highland Park. It's a accepted Thanksgiving repast with dishes whose recipes person been passed down done the years from the mothers of Jerry and Gene Jones.

At the apical of the database are the household recipes for duck, dressing and saccharine potatoes. -- Archer

---

Thanksgiving dinners astatine the stadium

For each the Cowboys' suite holders, arsenic good arsenic those with entree to the nine areas and the property container astatine AT&T Stadium successful Arlington, Texas, a accepted Thanksgiving Day repast is served. -- Archer

Here is the breakdown of the nutrient that volition beryllium served this year, according to Legends Hospitality:

• 11,500 pounds of turkey

• 7,600 pounds of Cowboys Mac 'N Cheese

• 4,640 pounds of cornbread

• 4,150 pounds of ham

• 2,340 pounds of murphy puree

• 234 gallons of cranberry sauce

• 175 gallons of whipped pick for desserts

At Ford Field successful Detroit, the stadium's culinary hospitality squad volition get the time started astatine 3 a.m. ET to guarantee everything is acceptable to spell up of the 12:30 p.m. kickoff. For fans successful the stadium, turkey legs, loaded saccharine potatoes and bourbon-spiked cider volition beryllium disposable to purchase. And much extended Thanksgiving meals are served to suite members. -- Woodyard

Here's a breakdown of nutrient by the pound, according to Levy Restaurants:

• 1,300 pounds of turkey

• 1,000 turkey legs

• 2,500 slices of pie

• 75 gallons of gravy

• 35 gallons of cranberry sauce

• 25 gallons of cranberry BBQ sauce

• 2,000 pounds of mashed potatoes

• 400 pounds of greenish beans

• 300 pounds of maize connected the cob

• 1,100 pounds of stuffing

Thanksgiving by the numbers

1: Number of teams to ne'er play connected Thanksgiving Day: Jacksonville Jaguars

4: Winless teams connected Thanksgiving: Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

6: Most touchdowns successful a azygous Thanksgiving game, held by Bob Griese (1977) and Peyton Manning (2004).

6: Thanksgiving Day shutouts since the merger successful 1970. There has not been a shutout since the Cowboys unopen retired the Miami Dolphins successful 1999.

8.5: Most vocation sacks connected Thanksgiving, held by erstwhile Lions DE Ezekiel Ansah.

11: Most vocation receiving touchdowns, held by erstwhile Lions WR Calvin Johnson.

18: Most vocation touchdown passes connected Thanksgiving, held by erstwhile Cowboys QB Tony Romo and erstwhile Lions QB Matthew Stafford.

895: Most vocation receiving yards connected Thanksgiving, held by erstwhile Cowboys TE Jason Witten.

1,178: Most vocation rushing yards connected Thanksgiving, held by erstwhile Cowboys RB Emmitt Smith. Smith besides has the astir vocation rushing touchdowns connected Thanksgiving with 13.

3,000: Most vocation passing yards connected Thanksgiving, held by Stafford successful 10 vocation Thanksgiving games.

Thanksgiving's champion moments

1974:

Backup QB Clint Longley took implicit for a concussed Roger Staubach with the Cowboys trailing Washington 16-3. Longley rallied Dallas by capping disconnected the comeback with a 50-yard touchdown walk to Drew Pearson with 28 seconds near to borderline Washington 24-23.

---

1980:

The Bears rallied from 17-3 down to decision the Lions 23-17 successful overtime down Dave Williams' 95-yard kickoff return. It was the archetypal overtime crippled connected turkey time (the OT play was instituted successful 1974).

— NFL Throwback (@nflthrowback) November 11, 2018

---

1982:

New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor returned a 97-yard pick-six successful a 13-6 triumph implicit the Lions.

— NFL Throwback (@nflthrowback) November 23, 2018

---

1993:

Cowboys antiaircraft tackle Leon Lett inexplicably tried to retrieve a blocked game-winning tract extremity attempt. The shot was booted guardant by Lett and recovered by the Dolphins astatine the 2-yard line. Miami connected connected its adjacent tract extremity effort and won 16-14.

---

1997:

Barry Sanders and the Lions crushed the Bears 55-20, with Sanders rushing for 167 yards and 3 touchdowns.

— NFL Throwback (@nflthrowback) November 22, 2018

---

1998:

Vikings rookie Randy Moss had lone 3 catches, but each 3 went for 50-plus-yard touchdowns successful a 46-36 triumph implicit the Cowboys. Three catches. Three TDs. 163 yards.

— NFL Throwback (@nflthrowback) November 22, 2018

---

2004:

In Indianapolis' 41-9 triumph implicit the Lions, Colts QB Peyton Manning threw six touchdowns, tied for the astir connected Thanksgiving Day with Bob Griese (1977).

— NFL Throwback (@nflthrowback) July 30, 2021

---

2010:

Tom Brady finished with a cleanable passer rating. Brady completed 21 of 27 passes for 341 yards and 4 touchdowns successful the Patriots' 45-24 rout of the Lions. The Patriots really trailed 24-17 midway done the 3rd 4th earlier Brady threw 3 touchdown passes -- of 79 and 22 yards to Deion Branch, and 16 yards to Wes Welker -- successful a span of 13 minutes, 30 seconds.

---

2012:

A play nary 1 volition forget. Jets QB Mark Sanchez fumbled the shot aft moving into a teammate successful New York's 49-19 nonaccomplishment to the Patriots. Also known arsenic the "Butt Fumble."