Fansided

Who is playing on NFL Thanksgiving?

The NFL's annual Thanksgiving tripleheader features a mix of playoff teams and struggling franchises. Which teams are set to take the field on Turkey Day?

By Mike Phillips

Detroit Lions v Indianapolis Colts
Detroit Lions v Indianapolis Colts / Andy Lyons/GettyImages
facebooktwitterreddit

One of the most iconic sporting traditions in America is the NFL's presence on Thanksgiving Day. The two teams most associated with Thanksgiving are the Detroit Lions, who began playing on the holiday in 1934, and the Dallas Cowboys, who started playing on Thanksgiving in 1966 and have hosted a game every year (with two exceptions in 1975 and 1977, when they took off in favor of the St. Louis Cardinals) since.

The NFL added a third game to Thanksgiving in 2006, which began as part of NFL Network's Thursday night package and was shifted to NBC's Sunday night package in 2012. Unlike the first two windows, which are locked into Detroit and Dallas, the third game rotates every year to get more teams exposure on the holiday.

Which NFL teams are playing on Thanksgiving Day in 2024?

  • Chicago Bears (4-7) at Detroit Lions (10-1)
  • Date: Thursday, Nov. 28
  • Time: 12:30 p.m. ET
  • How To Watch: CBS
  • Venue: Ford Field, Detroit, MI

The Lions are arguably the best team in the NFL and open Thanksgiving play against the Chicago Bears in an NFC North rivalry. Things have been going swimmingly in Detroit as they have ripped off nine wins in a row.

The sky is falling in Chicago on the other hand as the Bears have lost five in a row to bury themselves in the standings. There have been signs of life recently, however, as Chicago has taken the Packers and Vikings down to the wire over the past two weeks.

  • New York Giants (2-9) at Dallas Cowboys (4-7)
  • Date: Thursday, Nov. 28
  • Time: 4:30 p.m. ET
  • How To Watch: FOX
  • Venue: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX

The second game of the day is arguably the worst as the Giants and Cowboys meet up with their backup quarterbacks in lost seasons. Dallas put together a strong effort on Sunday, upsetting the Washington Commanders to show some pride in their team, while the Giants laid an egg against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to firmly place head coach Brian Daboll on the hot seat.

  • Miami Dolphins (5-6) at Green Bay Packers (8-3)
  • Date: Thursday, Nov. 28
  • Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
  • How To Watch: NBC/Peacock
  • Venue: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI

Thanksgiving's night cap features the game of the day as the Dolphins look to get back to .500 on a frigid night at Lambeau Field against the 8-3 Packers. Both teams are coming off wins, with Green Bay handling the depleted 49ers 38-10 on Sunday while Miami rolled over the Patriots 34-15.

feed

Home/NFL TV Coverage