Football has long been a staple of Thanksgiving Day celebrations, and this year there will be three National Football League games on the holiday and one on Black Friday to watch.
Shortly after the league’s formation in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association (it was renamed the NFL in 1922), football became a part of Thanksgiving tradition. The first Thanksgiving game was in 1934 between the Detroit Lions and the Chicago Bears in front of 26,000 people, according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Dallas joined the tradition in 1966, although the St. Louis Cardinals took their spot in 1975 and 1977. The Lions and Cowboys have been permanent Thanksgiving features ever since, each hosting a game each year. An additional game was added to the slate in 2006 and this will be the 19th consecutive year that three games will be played on the holiday.
Every current NFL team has played on Thanksgiving except the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Here are the games to watch this year.
Cole Kmet (left) of the Chicago Bears runs with the ball against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field on November 24 in Chicago. Graham Glasgow (right) of the Detroit Lions walks off the field prior to a game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on November 24 in Indianapolis. The Bears and Lions will meet at 12:20 p.m. EST on Thanksgiving.
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Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions
The Bears and Lions kick off at 12:30 p.m. EST on Thursday. The Bears are on a five-game losing streak with a 4-7 record, and the Lions are on a nine-game winning streak with a 10-1 mark.
The Bears and Lions face each other twice each season as members of the NFC North Division. Their last meeting was on December 10, 2023, in Chicago, with the Bears winning 28-13. They last met on Thanksgiving in 2021, with the Bears winning 16-14.
This time around, the Lions are double-digit favorites, according to Gambling.com. The site gives the game a 10.5-point spread, calling for the key matchup to be between the Chicago secondary and Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. Gambling.com’s analysts suggested the top players for the game will be Chicago tight end Cole Kmet, Detroit running back David Montgomery and Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams.
BetMGM Sportsbook has the Lions as 10.5-point favorites.
The Lions have played in 84 Thanksgiving games. They have a record of 37-45-2, the most Thanksgiving victories. The Bears’ Thanksgiving record is 20-15-2.
Tommy DeVito (left) of the New York Giants throws a pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at MetLife Stadium on November 24 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Brandon Aubrey (right) of the Dallas Cowboys looks on against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium on November 24 in Landover, Maryland. The Giants and Cowboys will meet at 4:30 p.m. EST on Thanksgiving.
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New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys
The Giants and Cowboys start play at 4:30 p.m. EST Thursday.
The two teams met already this season in Week 4, when the Cowboys beat the Giants 20-15. The Giants have a 2-9 record this season, and the Cowboys are ahead of them in the NFC East Division at 4-7.
On Wednesday, it was announced that Drew Lock is in line to start at quarterback for the Giants, with Tommy DeVito undergoing further injury evaluation.
Gambling.com has the Cowboys as 4-point favorites. The site predicts the Giants will lean on rookie running back Tyrone Tracy Jr., with wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson and Dallas running back Rico Dowdle also expected to have big games.
BetMGM Sportsbook has the Cowboys’ odds at -3.5.
The Cowboys are 33-22-1 on Thanksgiving, while the Giants are 7-6-3. They last met on the holiday in 2022, a 28-20 Dallas victory.
Jonnu Smith (left) of the Miami Dolphins lines up before a play during a game against the New England Patriots at Hard Rock Stadium on November 24 in Miami Gardens, Florida. Jordan Love (right) of the Green Bay Packers throws a pass against the San Francisco 49ers at Lambeau Field on November 24 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Dolphins and Packers will meet at 8:20 p.m. EST on Thanksgiving.
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Miami Dolphins at Green Bay Packers
The Dolphins and Packers will be the final Thanksgiving game, starting at 8:20 p.m. EST.
The two teams last met in December of 2022, when the Packers beat the Dolphins 26-20. This season, the Dolphins are 5-6, and the Packers are 8-3.
The Packers, according to Gambling.com, are favored by 3.5 points. Packers running back Josh Jacobs is expected to have a big game. BetMGM Sportsbook also has the Packers at -3.5.
The Dolphins have a winning Thanksgiving record of 5-2, while the Packers are 15-20-2.
Charles Snowden (left) of the Las Vegas Raiders reacts after tipping a pass on third down during the third quarter against the Denver Broncos at Allegiant Stadium on November 24 in Las Vegas. Patrick Mahomes (right) of the Kansas City Chiefs runs away from a Carolina Panthers defender during the second quarter of their game at Bank of America Stadium on November 24 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Raiders and Chiefs will meet at 3 p.m. EST on Black Friday.
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Las Vegas Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs
The Raiders and Chiefs, longtime AFC West rivals, will meet on Black Friday. Their game, which will be played in Kansas City, will start at 3 p.m. EST.
The Chiefs have the best record in the league at 10-1, while the Raiders are on a seven-game losing streak with a 2-9 record.
The Raiders will be without quarterback Gardner Minshew, who has a broken collarbone and will miss the rest of the season. Aidan O’Connell is expected to start at QB.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs are 13-point favorites, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.
How to watch the games
The Lions and Bears start at 12:20 p.m. EST. It can be viewed on CBS, Paramount+, Fubo and YouTube TV.
At 4:30 p.m. EST, the Cowboys and Giants go head-to-head on Fox, NFL+, Fubo, Sling and the Fox Sports app.
For the Packers and Dolphins game at 8:20 p.m. EST, viewers can stream the game on NBC, Telemundo, Peacock, NFL+, Fubo and Sling.
On Black Friday, the Raiders and Chiefs start at 3 p.m. EST. The game can be watched on Prime Video, Fubo, Paramount+ and Sling.
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