Football On Thanksgiving

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For many people, Thanksgiving is a time for food, family and fellowship. For a not insignificant number of people, Thanksgiving is also time for another F word: football. Football, specifically NFL football, has become a staple of the annual holiday, something the NFL is keenly aware of. “NFL games are as much a part of Thanksgiving as turkey, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie,” boasts a side bar on the NFL’s website under their Thanksgiving section. That tradition of professional football on the holiday is connected to two specific teams: the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys, which each host a Thanksgiving game annually. “[Playing football on Thanksgiving] is still alive in the National Football League in two franchise cities, Detroit …show more content…

Louis Cardinals hosted a game as part of a failed plan to alternate between St. Louis and Dallas. The NFL gave up on the enterprise after the Cardinal’s poor attendance and performance compared with the Super Bowl-contending Cowboys.
The Lions have also faced some adversity when it comes to hosting their game. That reached its peaked in the most recent century, as fans and owners began to wonder if the league should replace the Lions on the ticket because of their losing trend.
Thus, besides the addition of an evening game in 2006, NFL football on Thanksgiving has largely remained the same for decades. In that time, it’s become a hallmark of the holiday, especially for its home cities, as the Lions website attests, though the sentiment is certainly true for the Cowboys as well.
“When you think of Thanksgiving, you think of football and the Lions,” the post reads. “The Thanksgiving tradition is older than 24 current NFL franchises, and Detroit’s passionate affair with the annual Thanksgiving Day game is evidenced by its growing popularity. Year after year, Detroiters look forward to not only spending Thanksgiving with their families, but they also enjoy sharing that time with the

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