You've probably spent half your life thinking that the NFL Thanksgiving Day schedule is just some random assortment of games the league throws together to keep us occupied while the turkey rests. Honestly, it’s a lot more calculated than that. It’s a mix of rigid tradition, weird historical accidents, and—more recently—a massive flex by the league to dominate every second of your holiday.
Most people assume the Lions and Cowboys play every year just because they’re "traditional." While that’s technically true now, the reasons why they started hosting are actually kind of desperate. And if you aren't paying attention, you probably missed the fact that the NFL just broke a 40-year timing tradition this past season.
Football on Turkey Day isn't just about the games anymore. It’s about the schedule shifting right under our feet.
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The 2025 Schedule Recap: A Wild Year for the Tripleheader
Looking back at the most recent NFL Thanksgiving Day schedule, things were surprisingly high-stakes. Usually, you get at least one blowout, but the 2025 slate actually delivered some drama.
We saw the Green Bay Packers take down the Detroit Lions 31-24 in the early slot. It was a massive NFC North showdown where Jordan Love basically proved he owns the holiday, moving to 3-0 on Thanksgiving. Then, the Dallas Cowboys managed to upset the Kansas City Chiefs 31-28. That game was iconic mostly because Dak Prescott and George Pickens (who’s a Cowboy now, if you haven’t been keeping up) absolutely shredded a Chiefs defense that usually looks a lot sturdier.
Finally, the night cap featured the Cincinnati Bengals getting absolutely thumped by the Baltimore Ravens 32-14. Joe Burrow was back, but Baltimore’s defense was just on another level.
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Key Takeaways from the 2025 Games
- The Time Shift: For the first time since 1982, the NFL moved the Lions' kickoff from 12:30 PM ET to 1:00 PM ET. Roger Goodell basically said they wanted to align with "traditional Sunday windows."
- The Black Friday Factor: We can’t talk about the Thanksgiving schedule without mentioning the "hangover game" on Friday. In 2025, it was the Bears vs. the Eagles on Prime Video. It’s officially a four-day football weekend now.
- The Records: The Ravens maintained their status as one of the few teams that has never lost on Thanksgiving (now 3-0).
Why Detroit and Dallas Own the Day
It’s the question everyone asks once they’ve had their second glass of wine: "Why is it always the Lions and Cowboys?"
Back in 1934, George A. Richards bought the Portsmouth Spartans and moved them to Detroit. Nobody cared. The Tigers were the kings of the city. To get some eyeballs on his new "Detroit Lions," Richards used his connections as a radio executive to convince NBC to broadcast a game on Thanksgiving. It worked. People tuned in to hear the Lions play the Chicago Bears, and a tradition was born out of a marketing gimmick.
Dallas joined the party much later, in 1966. Tex Schramm, the legendary Cowboys GM, saw what Detroit was doing and wanted a piece of that national spotlight. He volunteered his team to host a second game. The NFL was worried nobody would show up, but the game sold out. Except for a tiny two-year blip in the late 70s where the league tried to let the St. Louis Cardinals host instead (it was a disaster), Dallas has held that late-afternoon slot ever since.
Predicting the 2026 NFL Thanksgiving Day Schedule
We don’t have the official dates yet—the league usually drops the full schedule in May—but we can already see the puzzle pieces for the 2026 NFL Thanksgiving Day schedule because we know who everyone is playing.
Since Detroit and Dallas are locked in as hosts, we just have to look at their 2026 home opponents.
Potential Matchups for Detroit (1:00 PM ET on FOX)
The Lions have some spicy home games in 2026. If the league wants a divisional grudge match, Detroit vs. Chicago is a very strong candidate. Both teams looked like breakout contenders in 2025, and Caleb Williams playing in the dome on a national stage is exactly what TV execs want. Another dark horse? The New England Patriots. With Drake Maye entering his third year, a "Pats-Lions" Thanksgiving game would be a huge draw for the East Coast market.
Potential Matchups for Dallas (4:30 PM ET on CBS)
Dallas usually gets a massive "America's Team" vs. "High Profile Rival" game. Looking at their 2026 home slate, Dallas vs. San Francisco stands out. That’s a legacy rivalry that always pulls massive ratings. If the league wants to stay within the division, Dallas vs. Philadelphia is the obvious choice.
The Primetime Mystery (8:20 PM ET on NBC)
The night game is the "Wild West" of the schedule. There are no fixed hosts. Since it’s 2026, expect the NFL to target the heavy hitters. A Buffalo Bills vs. Kansas City Chiefs primetime game would be the ultimate holiday treat, especially if Patrick Mahomes is fully recovered from that late 2025 ACL scare.
How to Watch and Survive the Day
If you're trying to plan your cooking around the NFL Thanksgiving Day schedule, you have to be precise. The 1:00 PM ET kickoff is the "appetizer game." You're usually still prepping the turkey. The 4:30 PM ET game is the "main event"—this is when most families are actually sitting down to eat, often with the TV visible from the dining table. The 8:20 PM ET game is for the people who have successfully entered a food coma on the couch.
Streaming and Channels
- Early Game: FOX (usually streamed on the FOX Sports app or Tubi).
- Afternoon Game: CBS (streamed on Paramount+).
- Night Game: NBC (streamed on Peacock).
- Black Friday: Amazon Prime Video.
Actionable Tips for the 2026 Season
If you're a die-hard fan or a fantasy manager, don't let the holiday sneak up on you. Here is what you should actually do to stay ahead of the NFL Thanksgiving Day schedule:
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- Monitor the May Schedule Release: Check the official NFL release in mid-May. That’s when the specific opponents for the three Thanksgiving slots are finalized.
- Adjust Your Fantasy Lineups Early: Thanksgiving games mean you have three games' worth of players locked by Thursday afternoon. Sort your roster on Wednesday night. Don't be the person who leaves a star on the bench because you were busy mashing potatoes.
- Book Your Travel Wisely: If you’re planning to attend a game in Detroit or Arlington, ticket prices for these specific dates are usually 30-50% higher than a standard Sunday game. Buy them the moment they go on sale in the summer.
- Check the Flexing Rules: While the afternoon games are locked, the NFL has expanded "flex scheduling" in recent years. While they rarely flex the Thanksgiving night game, it's technically possible if a matchup becomes a total dud due to injuries.
The schedule is a beast that keeps growing. Between the new 1:00 PM start time and the permanence of the Black Friday game, the NFL has basically colonised the last week of November.
To keep track of specific team news as we head into the 2026 draft and free agency, you can follow the official NFL Schedule page.