Why do the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys always play on Thanksgiving?

DETROIT, Mich. — Two football teams heard from every Thanksgiving are the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys.

As families work in the kitchen to prepare the turkey and all the delicious trimmings for the big Thanksgiving meal, more than likely the exact matchup is playing on a television or radio in the background.

So why is it that the Lions and Cowboys play every Thanksgiving? Here is the full story.

Why do the Lions and Cowboys play each Thanksgiving?

In 1934, Detroit radio executive George A. Richards purchased the Portsmouth Spartans, moved the team to Detroit and renamed them the Lions, according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

In an effort to attract fans during the team’s first season in the Motor City, Richards scheduled a game on Thanksgiving against the Chicago Bears. He worked with NBC Radio to create a 94-station network to broadcast the game.

Intrigue for the game at the University of Detroit Stadium was high. All 26,000 tickets were sold two weeks before the game, with another 25,000 estimated if more seats had been available, according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Bears beat the Lions 19-16. The two teams rematched on Thanksgiving in the 1935 season, and Detroit got revenge, winning by a final score of 14–2.

The Lions have played a Thanksgiving game every year since then, with the exception of a gap of six seasons from 1939-1944 during World War II.

When was the first Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving game?

Meanwhile, Dallas’ tradition started in 1966 in a game broadcast on CBS. General Manager Tex Schramm wanted more national publicity. The Cowboys played the Cleveland Browns at the Cotton Bowl in front of 80,000 people and won 26-14.

The Cowboys reached the playoffs 18 of the next 20 seasons, won two Super Bowls during that span (in 1971 and 1977) and quickly gained popularity across the country.

Dallas has played on Thanksgiving every year since 1966, with the exception of 1975 and 1977, when St. Louis Cardinals took their place.

When was the first Cowboys-Lions Thanksgiving game?

The teams have never actually met on Thanksgiving Day. They are both reliable and longtime hosts on the holiday, so unless one of the teams agrees to travel on the fourth Thursday in November, they are locked into a situation where they will never face each other on the holiday.

Who has won the most Thanksgiving games between the Lions and Cowboys?

The Lions have the most wins and the most losses of any NFL team playing on Thanksgiving. The team has a 37-45-2 record, according to ESPN, and hasn’t won on the holiday since 2016, when they beat the Minnesota Vikings.

The Cowboys have a 33-22-1 record and have won their last two Turkey Day games.

Who are the Lions and Cowboys playing this year?

The Lions (10-1), on a nine-game winning streak, host the Chicago Bears (4-7) in an NFC North game at 12:30 p.m. Shaboozey is scheduled to perform at halftime at Ford Field.

The Cowboys (4-7) will look to keep the momentum going from Sunday’s win over the Washington Commanders when they host the New York Giants (2-9) at 4:30 p.m. Country artist Lainey Wilson is scheduled to perform at AT&T Stadium during halftime.

Eric Henderson contributed to this report.