Thanksgiving and football are inseparable in America’s sporting culture. The NFL has been using the holiday as a platform of tradition and competition since 1920. The Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys are still at the center, as each hosts a game that has now become part of Thanksgiving as turkey. The schedule this year also features a primetime confrontation that might steal the show, and it shows that the league’s line of holiday offerings is as much about tradition as new drama.
November 24, 2011; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Anquan Boldin stretches above the Thanksgiving logo prior to the game against the San Francisco 49ers at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
The Lions open the day at home against the Green Bay Packers. While Detroit has been the more complete team in recent years, Green Bay continues to close the gap under Jordan Love’s leadership. The Lions face early questions about whether they can sustain their momentum. Green Bay, meanwhile, looks poised to capitalize on stability and youthful energy.
Two of the most popular NFL brands are united in the afternoon game when the Kansas City Chiefs come to the Dallas Cowboys. The dynasty of Patrick Mahomes against Team America is also subject to constant criticism. Dallas has the comfort and tradition of Thanksgiving at home, but Kansas City has its level-headedness in games where everything is on the line, and it is its biggest weapon. The team led by Andy Reid never fails under the glare of the media, as the Super Bowl is the year’s event.
The most emotionally charged game of the day is a late-night matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Ravens, played between these two, possibly, most emotionally charged teams. Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson have established one of the most intriguing contests in the AFC, and still, they push one another to the edge. Baltimore has a balance and depth of its coaches that endears it to a minor extent.
**How Does the 2025 NFL Thanksgiving Slate Mix Tradition and Unpredictability?**
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Each matchup features teams coming off seasons of introspection and trying to prove they belong among the elite. Green Bay is hungry to spoil Detroit’s home tradition. Kansas City’s consistency gives it the upper hand in Dallas. Cincinnati’s explosive potential makes them a live underdog in Baltimore.
When it comes to Thanksgiving football, it has never been a mere collection of games. It blends the league’s past and future colliding in a single day. The 2025 schedule perfectly embodies such an atmosphere: old-time competition and the unpredictability that the NFL can bring.