Why the Cowboys and Lions always play on Thanksgiving Day, NFL teams’ records on the holiday

Since the beginning of time, okay maybe not that long ago, but since very early on in National Football League history, fans have been able to watch the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day. This season, the Lions host the Bears, the Cowboys host the Bills, and the Falcons host the Saints.

The Lions began the tradition in 1934 when the owner George A. Richards wanted to attract more fans. The marketing wizard’s plan worked and the team who usually lost fans to the more popular Detroit Tigers sold out their stadium and then some. The team had to turn people away at the gates because so many people showed up to watch their Lions play. 

Richards was not only the owner of the NFL franchise but also an NBC affiliated radio station as well and worked out a contract with NBC to show his games on television across 94 stations. 

The Lions did not invent football on Thanksgiving, other teams had done it before, but Detroit had the network deal that set it apart. The only seasons the Lions did not play on Thanksgiving were from 1939 to 1944, when the world was engulfed in World War II. 

In addition to the Lions, turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes being staples on Thanksgiving, the Cowboys are a regular on the holiday, as well. 

Their tradition began in 1966 when general manager Tex Schramm signed up to play on that day to get more national publicity. Like the Lions, the Cowboys had record-shattering crowds show up at the Cotton Bowl. 

Their tradition began that and other than in 1975 and 1977, when the St. Louis Cardinals were awarded the holiday game, the team has played on turkey day. 

A primetime matchup was included in the mix in 2006, which has added more holiday exposure for the league, and has bumped up the appearances for the rest of the NFL on Thanksgiving. Here’s a look at how the 31 teams who have played on the holiday have fared — in, now 25 seasons, the Jaguars have yet to play on Thanksgiving. 

NFL Teams records on Thanksgiving

• Arizona Cardinals, 6-15-2 all-time | Last Thanksgiving game: 48-20 loss to Philadelphia Eagles in 2008
  
  
• Atlanta Falcons, 1-3 all-time | Last Thanksgiving game: 26-18 loss to New Orleans Saints in 2019
  
  
• Baltimore Ravens, 2-0 all-time | Last Thanksgiving game: 22-20 win over Pittsburgh Steelers in 2013
  
  
• Buffalo Bills, 4-4-1 all-time | Last Thanksgiving game: 26-15 win over Dallas Cowboys in 2019
  
  
• Carolina Panthers, 1-0 all-time | Last Thanksgiving game: 33-14 win over Dallas Cowboys in 2015
  
  
• Chicago Bears, 19-15-2 all-time | Last Thanksgiving game: 24-20 win over Detroit Lions in 2019
  
  
• Cincinnati Bengals, 0-1 all-time | Last Thanksgiving game: 26-10 loss to New York Jets in 2010
  
  
• Cleveland Browns, 0-3 all-time | Last Thanksgiving game: 13-10 loss to Detroit Lions in 1989
  
  
• Dallas Cowboys, 31-21-1 all-time | Last Thanksgiving game: 41-16 loss to Washington Football team in 2020
  
  
• Denver Broncos, 4-7 all-time | Last Thanksgiving game: 26-6 win over New York Giants in 2009
  
  
• Detroit Lions, 37-42-2 all-time | Last Thanksgiving game: 41-25 loss to Texans in 2020
  
  
• Green Bay Packers, 14-20-2 all-time | Last Thanksgiving game: 17-13 loss to Chicago Bears in 2015
  
  
• Houston Texans, 2-0 all-time | Last Thanksgiving game: 41-25 win vs. Texans in 2020
  
  
• Indianapolis Colts, 2-1-1 all-time | Last Thanksgiving game: 28-7 loss to Pittsburgh Steelers in 2016
  
  
• Jacksonville Jaguars, never played on Thanksgiving
  
  
• Kansas City Chiefs, 5-5 all-time | Last Thanksgiving game: 19-10 win over Denver Broncos in 2006
  
  
• Los Angeles Chargers, 3-1 all-time | Last Thanksgiving game: 28-6 win over Dallas Cowboys in 2017
• Los Angeles Rams, 3-1 all-time | Last Thanksgiving game: 20-0 win over Detroit Lions in 1975
• Miami Dolphins, 5-2 all-time | Last Thanksgiving game: 20-19 loss to Dallas Cowboys in 2011
  
  
• Minnesota Vikings, 6-2 all-time | Last Thanksgiving game: 30-23 win over Detroit Lions in 2017
  
  
• New England Patriots, 3-2 all-time | Last Thanksgiving game: 49-19 win over New York Jets in 2012
  
  
• New Orleans Saints, 3-0 all-time | Last Thanksgiving game: 26-18 win over Atlanta Falcons in 2019
• New York Giants, 7-5-3 all-time | Last Thanksgiving game: 20-10 loss to Washington Redskins in 2017
• New York Jets, 4-4 all-time | Last Thanksgiving game: 49-19 loss to New England Patriots in 2012
• Las Vegas Raiders, 3-4 all-time | Last Thanksgiving game: 31-24 loss to Dallas Cowboys in 2013
• Philadelphia Eagles, 6-1 all-time | Last Thanksgiving game: 45-14 loss to Detroit Lions in 2015
• Pittsburgh Steelers, 2-6 all-time | Last Thanksgiving game: 28-7 win over Indianapolis Colts in 2016
• San Francisco 49ers, 2-2-1 all-time | Last Thanksgiving game: 19-3 loss to Seattle Seahawks in 2014
• Seattle Seahawks, 2-2 all-time | Last Thanksgiving game: 19-3 win over San Francisco 49ers in 2014
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 0-1 all-time | Last Thanksgiving game: 38-10 loss to Dallas Cowboys in 2006
• Tennessee Titans, 5-2 all-time | Last Thanksgiving game: 47-10 win over Detroit Lions in 2008
• Washington Redskins Football Team, 4-8 all-time | Last Thanksgiving game: 41-16 win over Dallas in 2020