Thanksgiving is a serious day in the D, Detroit hosts America’s Thanksgiving Parade, one of the biggest Turkey Trots in the nation, and of course an annual NFL game held at Ford Field. The Lions have actually been one of the few NFL teams that holds the honor of hosting the NFL’s Thanksgiving games, dating back to 1934!
Why do the Lions play on Thanksgiving?
As we mentioned, the Lions first played on Thanksgiving day almost 100 years ago when the tradition started back in 1934; a whopping 89 years ago. It all started when George A. Richards, the owner of the Lions at the time, wanted to fill as many seats as possible after he had just relocated the team to Detroit from Ohio. His vision to turn a Thanksgiving day game into a gimmicky holiday tradition was a smashing success!
And while there were a few years during the late-30’s and early-40’s when the Lions didn’t host a Thanksgiving day game, it’s been a longstanding tradition since it returned in 1945.
Is the Thanksgiving game important for the Lions?
Well, the short answer is yes, almost every game is important at any point during the season for an NFL team, but the Thanksgiving games are unique. For starters, it’s one of the biggest stages in sports, millions of Americans tune in to watch or at least listen to the game while they prepare, eat, or recover from their Thanksgiving feast.
On the other hand, historically, the Lions haven’t had much success when it comes to Thanksgiving games. In the history of Lions’ Thanksgiving games, they are 37-43-2, which means that they’ve lost a total of 43 times and only have won 37 times. In fact, they have not won in the last seven years, meaning that they haven’t won since 2016.
Are the Detroit Lions good this year?
Yes, and we’ve been looking forward to saying that for quite some time now! The Detroit Lions are currently 8-2, which means that they have won 8 out of 10 games that they’ve played so far this season, which is one of the best records they’ve had to start the year since 1962!
Who are the Lions playing in the Thanksgiving game?
The Lions are playing the Greenbay Packers, who are currently 4-6, which means that for the first time in a long time, the Detroit Lions are actually favored to win this year’s Thanksgiving game!
Who is performing at the halftime show of the Thanksgiving game?
This year, Jack Harlow is going to be the halftime entertainment for the Detroit Lions’ Thanksgiving game. Some of his most well-known hits include “What’s Poppin” and “Industry Baby”, which are definitely going to make their way into his performance.