It's cliché, we know. But it's also true. At some point on Thursday afternoon, you'll be sitting down, either stuffed from a Thanksgiving feast or waiting for the final touches to be put on your meal. As is customary, the Dallas Cowboys will be playing on a nearby television, this year against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in a matchup that has major playoff implications.
Former Cowboys general manager Tex Schramm scheduled his crew to play on Thanksgiving in 1966, drawing a crowd of more than 80,000. Dallas has taken the field in all but two years since then, joining the Detroit Lions as consistent November holiday competitors. How has America's Team fared while everyone else is gobbling up turkey, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce?
Cowboys' record in Thanksgiving Day games
The Cowboys are 34-22-1 on Thanksgiving. The Washington Commanders have been the most persistent foe, playing the Cowboys 10 times in such a setting. Dallas is 8-2 in those games.
The Cowboys have played the Chiefs just once on Thanksgiving, that being in 1995. Dallas receiver Michael Irvin had a big game that day, reeling in 11 passes for 121 yards and a touchdown in a 24-12 win.
Cowboys' year-by-year results on Thanksgiving
Year | Opponent | Result | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
1966 | Cleveland Browns | W | 26-14 |
1967 | St. Louis Cardinals | W | 46-21 |
1968 | Washington Redskins | W | 29-20 |
1969 | San Francisco 49ers | T | 24-24 |
1970 | Green Bay Packers | W | 16-3 |
1971 | Los Angeles Rams | W | 28-21 |
1972 | San Francisco 49ers | L | 31-10 |
1973 | Miami Dolphins | L | 14-7 |
1974 | Washington Redskins | W | 24-23 |
1976 | St. Louis Cardinals | W | 19-14 |
1978 | Washington Redskins | W | 37-10 |
1979 | Houston Oilers | L | 30-24 |
1980 | Seattle Seahawks | W | 51-7 |
1981 | Chicago Bears | W | 10-9 |
1982 | Cleveland Browns | W | 31-14 |
1983 | St. Louis Cardinals | W | 35-17 |
1984 | New England Patriots | W | 20-17 |
1985 | St. Louis Cardinals | W | 35-17 |
1986 | Seattle Seahawks | L | 31-14 |
1987 | Minnesota Vikings | L | 44-38 (OT) |
1988 | Houston Oilers | L | 25-17 |
1989 | Philadelphia Eagles | L | 27-0 |
1990 | Pittsburgh Steelers | W | 20-10 |
1992 | New York Giants | W | 30-3 |
1993 | Miami Dolphins | L | 16-14 |
1994 | Green Bay Packers | W | 42-31 |
1995 | Kansas City Chiefs | W | 24-12 |
1996 | Washington Redskins | W | 21-10 |
1997 | Tennessee Titans | L | 27-14 |
1998 | Minnesota Vikings | L | 46-36 |
1999 | Miami Dolphins | W | 20-0 |
2000 | Minnesota Vikings | L | 27-15 |
2001 | Denver Broncos | L | 26-24 |
2002 | Washington Redskins | W | 27-20 |
2003 | Miami Dolphins | L | 40-21 |
2004 | Chicago Bears | W | 21-7 |
2005 | Denver Broncos | L | 24-21 (OT) |
2006 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W | 38-10 |
2007 | New York Jets | W | 34-3 |
2008 | Seattle Seahawks | W | 34-9 |
2009 | Oakland Raiders | W | 24-7 |
2010 | New Orleans Saints | L | 30-27 |
2011 | Miami Dolphins | W | 20-19 |
2012 | Washington Redskins | L | 38-31 |
2013 | Oakland Raiders | W | 31-24 |
2014 | Philadelphia Eagles | L | 33-10 |
2015 | Carolina Panthers | L | 33-14 |
2016 | Washington Redskins | W | 31-26 |
2017 | Los Angeles Chargers | L | 28-6 |
2018 | Washington Redskins | W | 31-23 |
2019 | Buffalo Bills | L | 26-15 |
2020 | Washington Football Team | L | 41-16 |
2021 | Las Vegas Raiders | L | 36-33 |
2022 | New York Giants | W | 28-20 |
2023 | Washington Commanders | W | 45-10 |
2024 | New York Giants | W | 27-20 |
2025 | Kansas City Chiefs | TBD | TBD |
Best and worst Cowboys moments on Thanksgiving
1974: Clint Longley makes a name for himself
Down 16-3 to Washington, Cowboys starting signal-caller Roger Staubach went down with an injury. His replacement, Clint Longley, entered and went 11 for 20 for 203 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including a 50-yarder to Drew Pearson to push Dallas ahead late in a 24-23 win.
2006: Tony Romo ties record
Making his fifth career start, Romo posted five touchdown passes in an effortless 38-10 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The mark tied the most in a single game in Cowboys lore.
"I thought it was Aikman out there," then-Buccaneers head coach Jon Gruden said afterward.
2011: Walk-off field goal sinks Dolphins
The Cowboys' Dan Bailey nailed a 28-yard field goal as time ran out in a 20-19 win over Miami. It was Bailey's 26th field goal make in a row.
“That’s what they are paying me to do, I guess, to go out there and make kicks,” Bailey said.
1993: Leon Lett messes up
On a sheet of ice and snow, Miami Dolphins kicker Pete Stoyanovich tried a 41-yard field goal that would've put his team up with seconds to play. Jimmie Jones blocked the ball, essentially giving his side the win if nobody touched it.
Leon Lett charged toward it, slipped and kicked it forward. The Dolphins recovered, giving Stoyanovich another crack at it. He split the uprights the second time in a 16-14 win.
"You know, it was a bad play, happened at a bad time, but I think at the end of the day, at the end of the season I had the last laugh," Lett said. "We won the Super Bowl. I had a part in us winning that Super Bowl and one of the big plays in that game, so for me that was my redemption.”
1989: The Bounty Bowl
Philadelphia Eagles rookie linebacker Jessie Small crashed into kicker Luis Zendejas on a blindside hit during a 27-0 Cowboys loss. Zendejas believed his former teammates premeditated the shot.
"Who puts a bounty on a kicker?" Then-Eagles head coach Buddy Ryan said.
Cowboys' traditions for Thanksgiving games
The Cowboys open the Salvation Army's Red Kettle Campaign at halftime of each Thanksgiving game. The Salvation Army has raised nearly $3 billion since 1997, thanks in part to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones' support.
Cowboys players usually pay a visit to a Salvation Army shelter in Dallas or Fort Worth and give early Thanksgiving Day meals to those who need them.
Staubach normally holds a yearly Turkey Bowl game at AT&T Stadium the day before Thanksgiving.