Whether you like it or not, the NFL is the big man on the North American sports campus. When it enters the picture, it immediately becomes the center of attention. Thanksgiving Day is a perfect example of that reality.
Is the holiday still defined by family, food and appreciation of what we have? Sure, but it's also tough to imagine that afternoon and evening without some football on TV. And, if anything, the NFL has leaned into that connection and made the final Thursday of November one of its showcases.
With that in mind, let's take a closer look at the 2025 NFL Thanksgiving slate and break the three marquee games down.
Thanksgiving NFL Games 2025
As has been the case since 2006, there will be three NFL games this Thanksgiving. The Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys, as is tradition, will host the early (1 p.m. ET) and middle (4:30 p.m. ET) matchups. The late game, which doesn't have a standard home team, will take place in Baltimore at 8:20 p.m. ET.
Last year, the Lions' success was the talk of the NFL, as the long-suffering franchise surged into the spotlight. This year, though, things have been a bit tougher.
As things currently stand, the Chicago Bears are actually atop the NFC North; the Packers are second, thanks to their single tie, and the Lions are third. Detroit is still hanging around the playoff picture and still has a chance to claim the divisional crown, but the Thanksgiving result could play a major role in determining their fate, given that they already lost to Green Bay in Week 1.
Both teams won in Week 12, albeit in different ways. The Lions survived a scare against the lowly New York Giants, while the Packers were pretty comfortable against the Vikings.
The pressure is on Detroit in this one. They're playing at home and need to secure some wins before playing three of their final four games on the road. Head coach Dan Campbell has proven to be a master motivator throughout his head coaching career; we'll have to see if the emotional charge gets his team over the hump on Turkey Day.
Over the past few seasons, the Chiefs have been must-see (or must-avoid, depending on your perspective) TV. In 2025, though, the Patrick Mahomes-Travis Kelce show has hit a bit of a rough patch.
Sitting at 6-5, Kansas City might not even make the playoffs. They've largely been unable to win close games-their success in those contests defined the 2024 season-and look a mixture of old, ineffective and out of sorts. Even their most recent win against the Colts swung between impressive and iffy, which is a bit jarring when you consider the pressure-packed games this group has faced in recent years.
The Cowboys have also fallen flat and have already sunk to the very fringes of the playoff picture; even their comeback win against the Eagles meant more for vibes than it did for the standings. Dak Prescott and company have been capable of scoring-they actually have more points on the season than the division-leading Eagles-but allowing 314 points through 11 games doesn't provide much wiggle room.
That sets up a game that's all about execution. It's cliché to say, but whichever team can make it through 60 minutes without making too many costly mistakes will take this one.
At the start of the season, this looked like a potential AFC title-decider. Injuries, however, have hamstrung both teams.
For the Bengals, Joe Burrow could be targeting this game for his return, but it remains to be seen how mobile he can be. The fact that Baltimore's defense doesn't produce a great deal of pressure-18 sacks through 11 games-could make his life a bit more comfortable, but, at the same time, though, potentially playing without Tee Higgins (concussion) won't exactly help the quarterback.
Baltimore's QB, Lamar Jackson, has also been bitten by the injury bug this year, but he's back in the lineup, and the Ravens have returned to form. They've won five in a row, sit atop the AFC North, and are largely looking more like themselves.
Something else that's working in the Ravens' favor: Cincinnati is one of the worst teams in the league at stopping the run. Jackson's scrambling may be less effective than usual, but Derrick Henry has gotten back on track in recent weeks.
Is he back to his Titans-era best? Probably not, but he's still capable of carrying the load, especially against an iffy defensive front.
How to Watch NFL Games on TV and Streaming
Now that we've taken a closer look at the games, how do you actually catch the action?
The Packers-Lions game, which kicks off at 1 p.m. ET, will air on Fox.
The Chiefs-Cowboys game, starting at 4:30 p.m. ET, will flip to the other side of the NFL's TV coin and be shown on CBS.
The Bengals-Ravens nightcap, which begins around 8:20 p.m. ET, fits into NBC's Sunday Night Football slot.
Beyond that, the games are available via streaming (on NFL+ and each respective network's digital platform, plus TV streaming services like FuboTV); they'll also be on network TV in each team's local market.
Heading into the busier-than-usual Thursday slate, the NFL standings look as follows:
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