You're sitting there, turkey-comatose on the couch, half-listening to the crinkle of a potato chip bag while your uncle argues about the stuffing. On the screen, the Detroit Lions are probably losing. Or maybe they're actually winning for once. It doesn't matter. It feels like they've been there since the dawn of time, and honestly, they basically have. If you’ve ever wondered who plays thanksgiving football every single year without fail, the answer is a mix of rigid tradition, a 1930s marketing stunt, and a healthy dose of NFL corporate greed.
Most people think the rotation is random. It isn't. The Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys are the anchors of the day, locked into their respective slots like clockwork. Then there’s the third game, a floating "Night Cap" that can feature pretty much anyone. It’s a weird, beautiful, exhausting triple-header that has turned a family holiday into the highest-rated regular-season day in professional sports.
The Detroit Tradition started as a radio gimmick
George A. Richards was a man with a problem. He bought the Portsmouth Spartans in 1934, moved them to Detroit, and renamed them the Lions. The thing was, nobody cared. Detroit was a baseball town, obsessed with the Tigers. Richards, a savvy radio executive who owned WJR, decided the only way to get eyeballs—or rather, ears—on his team was to play when nobody else was playing.
He convinced the league to let the Lions play on Thanksgiving Day 1934 against the Chicago Bears. It was a massive gamble. But because Richards had those radio connections, he got the game broadcast across 94 stations nationwide. The Lions lost that first game 19-16, but the stadium was sold out, and the tradition was cemented. Except for a brief hiatus during World War II, Detroit has held onto that morning slot with a death grip.
Critics often moan about it. They say, "Why does a team that has historically struggled get a prime national window?" Well, they earned it by being the guinea pigs when the NFL was just a fledgling league trying to survive. It’s about seniority.
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Dallas joins the party (and never left)
Tex Schramm, the legendary Cowboys GM, saw what Detroit was doing and wanted in. In 1966, he figured a Thanksgiving game would be the perfect way to boost the national profile of a team that was still trying to find its footing. The NFL was actually worried people wouldn't show up. They even guaranteed the Cowboys a certain amount of gate revenue just in case the stadium was empty.
It wasn't. They smashed attendance records.
Ever since then, the Cowboys have owned the late afternoon slot. There was a weird two-year blip in 1975 and 1977 where the NFL tried to give the slot to the St. Louis Cardinals to spread the love, but the TV ratings tanked harder than a lead balloon. Fans wanted the Cowboys. The league listened. Now, the idea of a Thanksgiving without the star on the helmet feels kinda wrong, even if you’re a die-hard hater of "America’s Team."
The "Night Cap" and the rotation of the rest
For decades, it was just the two games. But in 2006, the NFL realized they were leaving money on the table. They added a third primetime game. This is where the variety comes in. Unlike the first two slots, this game doesn't have a fixed home team.
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Usually, the NFL tries to schedule a high-stakes divisional rivalry here. Think Ravens vs. Steelers or Packers vs. Bears. They want something that keeps people from falling asleep after their second plate of pie. Because this game is televised on NBC (typically), the league treats it like a "Sunday Night Football" production. It’s flashy, it’s loud, and it usually features the teams that are actually Super Bowl contenders that year.
- 12:30 PM ET: Always Detroit. Always.
- 4:30 PM ET: Always Dallas.
- 8:20 PM ET: The Wildcard. It could be anyone from the AFC or NFC.
Why the "Common Knowledge" about the schedule is often wrong
A lot of casual fans assume the NFL rotates the hosts to be fair. They don't. The league is a business, and the Lions and Cowboys games are baked into multi-billion dollar TV contracts with FOX and CBS. There is a "cross-flex" rule now, though. It used to be that the AFC game was always on CBS and the NFC was on FOX. Now, the league can move games between networks to ensure the best matchups reach the widest audiences.
You’ll also hear people complain that playing on Thursday is a "competitive disadvantage." And yeah, it kinda is. Teams playing on Thanksgiving have a "short week," meaning they only have three days to recover and game-plan after their Sunday game. But players often love the "mini-bye" that follows. After playing on Thursday, they get the entire following weekend off. It’s a brutal sprint for a long rest.
Looking ahead to the next few years
The NFL isn't stopping at Thursday. We’ve seen the league branch out into "Black Friday" games now, which are hosted by Amazon Prime. While this doesn't officially count as the "Thanksgiving Day" slate, it's basically part of the same holiday package.
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If you're looking to plan your holiday around who plays thanksgiving football, you can generally bet your life savings on seeing Honolulu Blue in the morning and the Star in the afternoon. The evening slot is the only one you'll need to check the schedule for come April or May when the league releases the official calendar.
For the 2024 season, the tradition continued with the Lions hosting the Bears and the Cowboys taking on the Giants. These divisional matchups are the bread and butter of the holiday because the familiarity breeds a certain level of intensity that makes for great television.
Actionable Steps for the Ultimate Fan Experience
- Check the Flex: Even though the hosts are fixed, the opponents can change until the schedule is finalized in mid-May. Don't book travel based on rumors.
- Sync Your Apps: If you're a cord-cutter, remember that the morning and afternoon games usually sit on FOX and CBS (available via Paramount+ or various sports streamers), while the night game is an NBC/Peacock exclusive.
- Fantasy Prep: Thanksgiving games are notorious for "stat-padding." Because it's a national stage, coaches often lean on their stars. If you have a player in a Thanksgiving game, you almost always start them.
- The "Black Friday" Factor: Keep an eye on the Friday schedule. It’s becoming a "fourth" Thanksgiving game in all but name, and it usually features high-octane AFC East or NFC East matchups.
The reality is that Thanksgiving football is as much about the ritual as it is about the sport. We watch because it's what we do. We watch because seeing the Lions struggle or the Cowboys dominate is a reliable constant in an ever-changing world. It’s the one day a year where the game feels bigger than the standings.
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