The NFL will officially release the schedules for all 32 teams later tonight on ESPN and the NFL Network, but before there of course are some leaks, including the news that the Detroit Lions annual Thanksgiving day opponent. This year, the Lions will host their NFC North rival Chicago Bears, according to Dave Birkett.
The #Lions will play the #Bears on Thanksgiving this year. They only have the one MNF game on their schedule, no Sunday night games.
— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) April 23, 2014
#Bears last tangled with #Lions on Nov. 25, 1999, at the Pontiac Silverdome.
— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) April 23, 2014
The 1999 game that Biggs references in the above tweet was two years after Barry Sanders shredded the Bears defense for 167 yards and three touchdowns with several highlight-reel runs in the team’s 55-20 Thanksgiving day win.
The Lions played the Packers last year and normally would host an AFC opponent this time around, but obviously that won’t be the case this year. Good thing for the Bears they won’t have to deal with Barry Sanders this time around.