The tradition of the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions playing on Thanksgiving Day is a rich one, steeped in history and driven by a combination of marketing savvy, cultural significance, and a dash of good old-fashioned American football.
It all began in 1934 when the Detroit Lions, then owned by George A. Richards, played the Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving Day. Richards, a local radio executive, wanted to attract more fans to the Lions’ games, which were often overshadowed by the Detroit Tigers baseball team. He negotiated a deal with NBC to broadcast the game on 94 radio stations across the country, and the rest, as they say, is history ¹.
The Lions have been playing on Thanksgiving Day ever since, with the exception of a few years during World War II. The Dallas Cowboys, on the other hand, joined the Thanksgiving Day tradition in 1966, when team president Tex Schramm volunteered to host a game on the holiday. The Cowboys’ first Thanksgiving Day game was a huge success, with over 80,000 fans in attendance, and they’ve been playing on Turkey Day ever since ².
So, why do these two teams continue to play on Thanksgiving Day every year? For one, it’s become an integral part of American football tradition. The NFL has been playing games on Thanksgiving Day since 1920, and the Lions and Cowboys have been the mainstays of the holiday schedule for decades.
Additionally, the Thanksgiving Day games have become a major ratings draw for the NFL. Last year’s games attracted a record 34.1 million viewers, making them some of the most-watched television events of the year ².
In short, the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions play on Thanksgiving Day every year because of a combination of historical significance, cultural tradition, and good old-fashioned American football. It’s a tradition that’s been beloved by fans for generations, and one that will likely continue for many years to come.
