10 most memorable NFL moments on Thanksgiving
A look at the most memorable NFL moments on Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a holiday reserved for many things. The day is meant to spend with family, to show gratitude for the things in your life, and to eat good food. Of course, the day for sports fan is also meant to be watching NFL football during or after the meal as Thanksgiving is one of the most publicized days of the year for the league.
Professional football has been played on Thanksgiving for almost a century, with some of the current traditions of the NFL on Thanksgiving, namely the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys always being a part of the festivities, arising in the 1940s and 1960s, respectively. It’s clearly transformed into a much bigger event than anyone could have imagined then, but its entrenched status in the league is undeniable.
Many of the all-time greats in the league have made their mark on Thanksgiving Day. Obviously the likes of Barry Sanders with the Lions had their day in the sun in terms of performing on Thanksgiving. The same goes for the Cowboys greats like Roger Staubach, Tony Dorsett, Michael Irvin, Emmitt Smith, and Deion Sanders during their tenure with Dallas whenever they were at the top of their games and at the top of the league.
However, incredible performances aren’t just limited to the two teams that are always featured on Thanksgiving. Players like Brett Favre, Bart Starr, Randy Moss, O.J. Simpson, and many more have all done incredible things when taking the field on Thanksgiving Day.
It’s not just great performances that make Thanksgiving one of the most memorable days of the NFL season every year, though. There are other ways to create memorable moments than by having a monster day on the gridiron. After all, these games have some of the highest viewership numbers of the season. If someone does something boneheaded or laughable, millions of people and fans see it. If it’s a truly legendary gaffe, those fans will never forget.
With decades upon decades worth of NFL games being played on Thanksgiving Day, there have been more memorable moments than you could ever hope to recount off the top of your head. However, there a select few that stand out among the rest. There are those moments that stand out not only in the canon of the NFL on Thanksgiving, but in the history of the NFL as a whole.
While you enjoy your turkey, these are the 10 most memorable NFL moments on Thanksgiving in history.