Because it's tradition! But how did this tradition begin? Every year since 1934, the Detroit Lions have taken the field for a Thanksgiving game, no matter how bad their record has been. It all goes back to when the Lions were still a fairly young franchise. The team started in 1929 in Portsmouth, Ohio, as the Spartans. read more
The Lions have played on Thanksgiving ever since, from the glory years of the 1950s to the hard times of the Matt Millen era. The last time the Lions and Vikings met on Thanksgiving was a 44-38 Detroit win in 1995. The Cowboys started their Thanksgiving Day tradition in 1966. read more
The Cowboys, too, jumped on the opportunity to play on Thanksgiving as an extra little bump for their popularity. When the chance to take the field on Thanksgiving arose in 1966, it might not have been a huge benefit for the Cowboys. read more
The Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys are the only two NFL teams who play on Thanksgiving Day every year - here's why: Here's why the Detroit Lions play on Thanksgiving: It all started when the Detroit Lions were actually the Portsmouth Spartans - in 1929. In 1934, owner George Richards bought the team and moved it to Detroit. read more