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The NFL has been playing games on Thanksgiving since 1920. Legend has it that the NFL Thanksgiving games were born out of a duel between the Chicago Tigers and Decatur Staleys. They challenged each other to a high-stakes matchup on Thanksgiving in 1920, with the loser having to leave the league. The Staleys lost and folded at season’s end.
As dramatic and entertaining as that sounds, the NFL more than likely based their Thanksgiving strategy on how successful College Football was around the holiday.
More than 100-years later, the NFL Thanksgiving football games have become a significant part of holiday celebrations. In fact, many people would argue that the NFL and Thanksgiving are synonymous with each other. This is definitely true for fans of the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys who play annual games on Thanksgiving.
The Detroit Lions were the first team to play annually on Thanksgiving as they started this tradition in 1934. The Dallas Cowboys would join this holiday tradition with annual games starting in 1966.
Generations of football fans would enjoy two holiday matchups every year until 2006, when the league added a third game to be held in a primetime slot. Yet, this game changes teams each year instead of creating another annual tradition with a third franchise.
In 2024, the NFL Thanksgiving slate features some exciting matchups as the Detroit Lions host their divisional rival Chicago Bears, the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants play in an NFC East clash, and the Green Bay Packers host the Miami Dolphins in a primetime showdown. It should be noted that these Thanksgiving NFL games don’t fall under the weekly Thursday Night Football banner.
Unfortunately, the full slate of Thanksgiving football odds is not available as of yet. However, this means that there’s still plenty of time to examine our NFL betting analysis for information and predictions on players, all 32 NFL teams, Divisions, Conferences, and the 2025 Super Bowl.
Who Plays Football On Thanksgiving?
Every year, the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys play on Thanksgiving. As mentioned above, the Lions have been playing on Turkey Day since 1934. This year, they will host the Chicago Bears.
The Cowboys have been playing on the holiday since 1966, and they will travel to the Meadowlands to take on the New York Giants. A third game will feature the Green Bay Packers and Miami Dolphins from Lambeau Field.
Interestingly, the Packers and Bears are tied for the third most Thanksgiving Day appearances at 37 apiece.
What Channel Is Thanksgiving Football on?
The Thanksgiving football games will air on the following major networks:
- Chicago Bears vs. Detroit Lions on CBS
- New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys on FOX
- Miami Dolphins vs. Green Bay Packers on NBC
Thanksgiving Football Games Odds
Unfortunately, the Thanksgiving Football odds are not available as of yet. Check back as we get closer to holiday and the NFL odds for this week become available.
Thanksgiving Day Football Schedule
| Date | Time (ET) | Road Team | Home Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, Nov. 28 | 12:30 PM | Chicago Bears | Detroit Lions |
| Thursday, Nov. 28 | 4:30 PM | New York Giants | Dallas Cowboys |
| Thursday, Nov. 28 | 8:20 PM | Miami Dolphins | Green Bay Packers |
Thanksgiving Day Football Games
Let’s take a closer look at these Thanksgiving football games. However, we won’t be making our Thanksgiving football predictions until the full slate of odds come out for Week 13.
Chicago Bears vs. Detroit Lions
This NFC North battle marks the 189th time that these two teams have played against each other. Currently, the Chicago Bears own a massive advantage in this series with a record of 105-78-5. This Week 13 contest will be the first of two annual divisional games between these teams in the 2024-25 season. The second matchup will take place in Week 16 at Chicago.
The Bears are 8-4 in the last 12 meetings against the Lions. Detroit is 48-44-1 all-time in home games against Chicago. However, the Lions are just 4-7 at home versus the Bears in their last 11 meetings. Yet, they have won their last two home games in this series.
For the Bears, this will be their 38th appearance on Thanksgiving and they have a holiday record of 20-15-2. For the Lions, this will be their 85th Turkey Day game and they have a holiday record of 37-45-2.
This Thanksgiving football game also marks the 19th time that these two teams have played against each other on the holiday. The Bears hold a 10-8 record over the Lions on Thanksgiving. Their last holiday showdown came in 2021, which Chicago won 16-14.
In fact, the Bears have won three consecutive Thanksgiving games over the Lions. The Lions are just 6-18 on Thanksgiving since 2000, and are 0-6 over their last six Thanksgiving football games.
Can the Bears continue feasting on the Lions or will Detroit reclaim their Motown magic and make this Thanksgiving matchup a celebration of food and victory?
New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys
The second Thanksgiving football game will feature two bitter NFC East rivals as the New York Giants host the Dallas Cowboys.
This will be the second and final divisional game between these two teams in the 2024-25 season. Their first matchup takes place in Week 4 at Dallas. So, we won’t be able to factor in those results at the time of this writing.
For the Giants, this will be their 17th appearance on Thanksgiving. New York is 7-6-3 on the holiday. Ironically, the Giants didn’t play a Thanksgiving game from 1940 to 1981. However, since then, they have gone 1-4 on Turkey Day including four losses in a row.
For the Cowboys this will be their 57th Thanksgiving game and they have a record of 33-22-1. They’re 3-2 in their last five Thanksgiving matchups.
These two teams have played against each other 124 times prior to the 2024-25 NFL season. Their Thanksgiving matchup will be the 126th game against each other. They last played on Turkey Day in 2022, and the Cowboys won 28-20.
Not including the Week 4 result, Dallas has won 13 of the last 14 meetings including six in a row. The Cowboys are 34-26-1 in road games at the Giants, which includes going 6-1 over their last seven Jersey trips and three road victories in a row at New York.
Will the Cowboys continue their winning ways against their divisional rival or will the Giants break this losing tradition with a big Thanksgiving Day victory?
Miami Dolphins vs. Green Bay Packers
The third and final game on Thanksgiving, is an exciting matchup between two Playoff teams from last year who are fighting to make the postseason this year as well.
The Green Bay Packers have won five of the last six meetings against the Miami Dolphins. However, the Dolphins hold the all-time advantage in this series with a 10-6 record. The Dolphins are 4-3 at Lambeau Field, but the Packers have won three of the last four meetings.
For the Dolphins, this will be their 8th appearance on Thanksgiving. They are 5-2 on the holiday and last played in 2011, where they lost to the Cowboys.
The Packers will be making their 38th Thanksgiving Day appearance and they have a 15-20-2 record. They last played on Turkey Day in 2023, and beat the Lions 29-22. That win bumped them to 13-8-1 against the Lions on Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, they’re 2-12-1 against other teams on the holiday.
Both teams need this Thanksgiving Day victory in order to remain in contention within their respective conferences, divisions, and Wild Card races.
Will Miami extend Green Bay’s holiday misery outside of Detroit, or will the Packers beat the Dolphins like a fish out of water?
Thanksgiving Football Predictions
When Thanksgiving week has arrived, we will provide a variety of free NFL picks designed to help you make well-informed and strategic decisions for the Thanksgiving football games. Our experts carefully analyze these NFL picks, leveraging the latest data, trends, and insider insights. Here are some of the categories that we’ll cover with our NFL Thanksgiving football predictions:
- Best Pick Against the Spread (ATS): Our ATS pick highlights the best bet for teams expected to cover the point spread, providing valuable insights into which matchups offer the most potential for a profitable wager.
- Best Moneyline Pick: For those who prefer betting on outright winners, our moneyline pick offers a top selection based on a comprehensive analysis of team performance, player statistics, and other critical factors.
- Best Total Pick: Our total pick focuses on the over/under, helping you identify games where the total points scored will likely go over or under the set line. Detailed statistical models and game scenarios back this pick.
- Best Player Prop: Dive into individual player performances with our best player prop pick. Whether it’s passing yards, touchdowns, or receptions, we pinpoint standout player prop bets that offer excellent value.
- Best Team Prop: Explore team-centric bets with our best team prop pick. These can include total team points, turnovers, or specific team milestones, providing a broader range of betting opportunities.
Thanksgiving Football Best Bets
In addition to breaking down the standard lines for each game, we’ll also provide you with our best Thanksgiving football bets. You can place individual wagers on these Thanksgiving football best bets or you can combine them for a potential Thanksgiving Day football parlay.
Thanksgiving Day Records
The following is a list of each NFL team’s record in Thanksgiving football games. These records include a franchise’s previous incarnations.
| Team | Games | Wins | Losses | Ties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Cardinals | 21 | 6 | 15 | 2 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Buffalo Bills | 11 | 6 | 4 | 1 |
| Carolina Panthers | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Chicago Bears | 37 | 20 | 15 | 2 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Cleveland Browns | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 56 | 33 | 22 | 1 |
| Denver Broncos | 11 | 4 | 7 | 0 |
| Detroit Lions | 84 | 37 | 45 | 2 |
| Green Bay Packers | 37 | 15 | 20 | 2 |
| Houston Texans | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Miami Dolphins | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 9 | 7 | 2 | 0 |
| New England Patriots | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| New Orleans Saints | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| New York Giants | 16 | 7 | 6 | 3 |
| New York Jets | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Tennessee Titans | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| Washington Commanders | 13 | 4 | 9 | 0 |
