Lions will host a Thanksgiving game for 85th time today

For most of the 105-year existence of the NFL, the league has played games on Thanksgiving. Dating back to 1920 and taking a break only during World War II, it’s been an annual tradition.

Today, the Lions will play on Thanksgiving for the 85th time. Their record is 37-45-2.

The first Thanksgiving game in Detroit happened in 1934, the last truly great regular season the Lions had until this year. The Lions hosted a home game every year from 1934 through 1938, and then from 1945 until now.

The Lions last won on Thanksgiving in 2016. Despite their current resurgence, the Lions lost to the Bills in 2022 (28-25) and were upset by the Packers last year (29-22).

Memorable games include the Phil Luckett coin-flip fiasco in 1998 against the Steelers, and the Dave Williams overtime kickoff return for the Bears in 1980.

Despite periodic complaints during the lean years about the Lions preserving their hammerlock on Thanksgiving home games, it hasn’t changed. There’s no reason to think it will.

Even with the league’s still-new willingness to flex late-season Thursday and Monday games, the Thanksgiving games usually deliver. Thanks to the captive audience that family gatherings and few other options provides.

This year, Detroit is the bigger draw than the other annual Thanksgiving host team, in Dallas. Widely regarded as the best team in football, the Lions are 10-1 and favored by 10 points over the Bears.