Thanksgiving Football Tradition: Why The Lions And Cowboys Remain NFL's Holiday Staples

The Thanksgiving Day NFL lineup has become synonymous with two franchises: the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys. But what’s the story behind their consistent presence on America’s biggest food-focused sports day?

How It All Started: A Marketing Masterstroke

Back in 1934, Detroit Lions owner G.A. Richards conceived the Thanksgiving Day game as a brilliant promotional strategy. After relocating the Portsmouth Spartans to Detroit, Richards recognized an opportunity to boost team attendance and generate national buzz. That inaugural contest drew over 26,000 spectators—a significant achievement for that era.

The Dallas Cowboys jumped into the tradition three decades later, debuting on Thanksgiving in 1966 with a dominant 26-14 victory over the Cleveland Browns. Their first holiday matchup attracted 80,259 fans, establishing the Cowboys as another marquee name for the occasion. While the Cowboys missed the tradition in 1975 and 1977, they’ve otherwise maintained continuous participation.

The longevity of both franchises on Thanksgiving stems from a simple truth: tradition itself. These games predate the Super Bowl and many NFL franchises, making continuity more powerful than any modern marketing campaign. By 2006, the NFL expanded the holiday showcase to include a primetime matchup featuring rotating teams.

2023 Thanksgiving Showdown: Schedule And Betting Lines

Three compelling matchups highlight the 2023 Thanksgiving slate:

Early Game: Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions at 12:30 p.m. ET (FOX)

• Packers: +310 moneyline
• Lions: -395 moneyline
• Spread: Lions favored by 7.5 points

Afternoon Game: Washington Commanders vs. Dallas Cowboys at 4:30 p.m. ET (CBS)

• Commanders: +500 moneyline
• Cowboys: -700 moneyline
• Spread: Cowboys favored by 12.5 points

Primetime Game: San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks at 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC)

• 49ers: -375 moneyline
• Seahawks: +295 moneyline
• Spread: 49ers favored by 7.5 points

Historical Performance: A Tale Of Two Franchises

The Lions and Cowboys present starkly different Thanksgiving narratives. Detroit holds an all-time record of 37-44-2, including a six-game losing streak heading into 2023. Notably, this represents the first time the Lions have entered as favorites since 2016—a significant shift. ESPN data reveals the Lions haven’t been favored by more than seven points since 1997, and they’ve only been 7-point favorites against Green Bay twice in four decades.

The Cowboys demonstrate superior Thanksgiving performance with a 32-22-1 record. Remarkably, Dallas sits at a perfect 12-0 outright and 9-3 against the spread when deployed as double-digit favorites on the holiday dating back to 1970.

Other recurring participants like the Chicago Bears (20-15-2) and Green Bay Packers (14-20-2) maintain respectable holiday records, while the Jacksonville Jaguars remain the sole NFL franchise never to compete in a Thanksgiving game.

Betting Trends And Parlay Opportunities

Recent history offers intriguing patterns for bettors. The Lions have posted an impressive 8-1 against-the-spread record in their last 11 Thanksgiving contests, while the Cowboys have stumbled, going just 1-11 ATS in their last 12 holiday appearances.

For those seeking parlay action, backing all three 2023 favorites yields -123 odds, potentially converting $100 into $81.41 profit. The contrarian approach—betting all three underdogs—offers explosive +9617 odds, turning $100 into a potential $9,617 windfall. Historically, primetime Thanksgiving favorites have dominated, posting a 12-4 against-the-spread record with the last six contests seeing the favorite cover.