How Many NFL Games Are Played on Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving is a time for family, friends, and of course, football! But how many NFL games are actually played on this holiday? We did a little research to find out.

Introduction

NFL games have been played on Thanksgiving Day since the league’s inception in 1920. In 2010, the NFL schedule featured three games on Thanksgiving, with a fourth game added in 2012. As of 2019, the NFL schedule typically features three games on Thanksgiving.

The Detroit Lions have played on Thanksgiving every year since 1934, with the exception of 1939-1944 (due to World War II) and again in 2020 (due to the COVID pandemic). The Dallas Cowboys joined them in 1966, and the Green Bay Packers also began playing on Thanksgiving starting in 1989.

In recent years, some of the NFL’s most popular teams have played on Thanksgiving, including the New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Indianapolis Colts.

History of NFL Games on Thanksgiving

The first NFL game on Thanksgiving was played in 1934 between the Detroit Lions and the Chicago Bears. The Lions have played on Thanksgiving every year since, except for 1939-1944. In 1966, the Dallas Cowboys joined the Lions as the second team to play on Thanksgiving. Since then, the Cowboys have played on Thanksgiving every year except for 1975 and 1977. In 2006, the New England Patriots and the New York Jets became the third and fourth teams to play on Thanksgiving, respectively.

The First Thanksgiving Day Game

The first Thanksgiving Day game was played on November 26, 1920, between the Chicago Bears and the Detroit Lions. The Lions won 14-0. The game was not televised, but was broadcast on radio.

In 1934, the Lions hosted the first Thanksgiving Day game that was televised. That year, they played the New York Giants and won 26-14.

The first NFL game on Thanksgiving that was nationally televised was in 1966, when the Dallas Cowboys played the Detroit Lions. The Cowboys won 34-14.

Today, there are three NFL games played on Thanksgiving Day.

The First NFL Game Broadcast on Television

While the first NFL game was played on Thanksgiving in 1920, it wasn’t until 1934 that the first NFL game was broadcast on television. The game, between the Detroit Lions and the Chicago Bears, was broadcast by NBC from Wrigley Field in Chicago. Just over 10,000 people watched the game on television, while an estimated 40,000 people were in attendance at the stadium.

The First NFL Game Played in Primetime

The first NFL game played in primetime was on Thanksgiving night in 1956, and it was a doozy. The New York Giants, who at the time were coached by none other than Vince Lombardi, took on the Detroit Lions at Detroit’s Briggs Stadium. The Lions were coached by George Wilson, and featured star players such as Bobby Layne, Doak Walker and Jack Christiansen. The game was a rematch of the previous year’s NFL Championship game, which the Giants had won 47-7.

The game did not disappoint, as the Lions came out on top 26-14. Layne threw touchdown passes of 33 and 17 yards to Christiansen, while Walker added a 1-yard touchdown run. Giants quarterback Charlie Conerly threw touchdown passes of 15 and 5 yards to Kyle Rote and Ray Poole, respectively.

The game was a ratings hit, with an estimated 21 million people tuned in to watch. It would set the stage for future Thanksgiving night games, which have become must-watch television for NFL fans in recent years.

How Many NFL Games Are Played on Thanksgiving?

The National Football League (NFL) plays two games on Thanksgiving Day every year. One game is played in Detroit, Michigan and the other game is played in Dallas, Texas. NFL games have been played on Thanksgiving Day since the league’s inception in 1920.

The Number of NFL Games Played on Thanksgiving Has Increased Over the Years

The number of NFL games played on Thanksgiving has increased over the years. In 1978, there were two games played on Thanksgiving. In 2006, there were three games played on Thanksgiving. And in 2012, there were four games played on Thanksgiving.

The reason for the increase is that the NFL wants to give fans more football to watch on Thanksgiving. More games means more people watching and more people buying NFL merchandise.

Some fans think that the NFL is taking away from the tradition of Thanksgiving by playing so many games on the holiday. But the truth is that football has always been a part of Thanksgiving. The first professional football game was played on November 25, 1892, just four days after Thanksgiving. And the first NFL game was played on October 3, 1920, less than two months before Thanksgiving.

The Number of NFL Games Played on Thanksgiving Has Decreased in Recent Years

Thanksgiving is a time for family, friends, and, of course, football. For many years, the National Football League (NFL) has played games on Thanksgiving Day, giving fans a chance to enjoy some holiday-themed football action. However, in recent years, the number of NFL games played on Thanksgiving has decreased.

In 2016, there were three NFL games played on Thanksgiving Day. This was down from the four games that were played in 2015. And in 2014, there were also three games played on the holiday.

So why has the number of NFL games played on Thanksgiving decreased in recent years? There are a few potential reasons.

For one thing, some speculate that the NFL is trying to avoid scheduling too many games on Thanksgiving so that fans can actually spend time with their families on the holiday. Additionally, it’s possible that the decreasing number of games is simply due to scheduling conflicts or other logistical issues.

Whatever the reason for the decrease, it’s clear that there are fewer NFL games being played on Thanksgiving than in years past. So if you’re looking to watch some football on the holiday this year, you’ll have fewer options to choose from.

Conclusion

While the number of NFL games played on Thanksgiving has varied over the years, there are typically two games played on the holiday. In recent years, the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys have hosted NFL games on Thanksgiving, while other teams have played on Thanksgiving Day in the past.