We’re now 13 weeks deep into the NFL season, and each and every game is taking on added importance as we get later and later into the year.
And while it’s true that every single game technically matters just as much as any other when it comes to determining who will make the playoffs (or win tiebreakers or have a better draft selection) and have a chance to vie for the right to take the Lombardi Trophy away from the Eagles, there are some matchups that stand out above the others. And this year’s Thanksgiving day slate has a few of them.
As an annual tradition, the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys will host games on Thanksgiving afternoon. But we’ve also got a potential barn-burner of a prime-time game on tap — and it looks like we’ll get some good news on the injury front for Joe Burrow. Read on below for details on the 2025 Thanksgiving slate.
Date: Nov. 27 | Time: 1 p.m. ET
Location: Ford Field (Detroit, MI)
TV: Fox | Streaming: fubo
This is a much-anticipated rematch of the Week 1 game wherein the Packers absolutely laid the smack down on the Lions. Detroit will surely have revenge on its mind for this one, while Green Bay will be looking to pull off another win and stake a claim to the division title.
The Lions have played more Thanksgiving games than any other team, playing 85 times since 1934. They’re 38-45-2 all time, but they finally got a win last year after losing each season from 2017 through 2023. Last year’s game, of course, was notable for the clock-management abomination that resulted in then-Bears coach Matt Eberflus (now the defensive coordinator for the Cowboys) being fired.
For the Lions, this game is part of a tough post-bye week schedule, wherein they play the Vikings (loss), Commanders (win), Eagles, Giants, Packers, Cowboys and Rams all in a row. That game against Dallas the week after Thanksgiving is also on “Thursday Night Football.”
The Packers, as many know, were once the Lions’ annual opponent on Thanksgiving, playing them every year from 1951 through 1963. In their 38 total Thanksgiving games, the Packers are 16-20-2. They last played on Thanksgiving, well, last year. They beat the Dolphins 30-13 in the prime-time game. This will actually mark their third straight Thanksgiving game, as they played and beat the Lions 29-22 back in 2023.
The game comes in the middle of a tough divisional stretch for the Packers, who play the Vikings in Week 12, Detroit in Week 13 and the Bears in Week 14.
Date: Nov. 27 | Time: 4:30 p.m. ET
Location: AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX)
TV: CBS | Streaming: Paramount+
Even though the Cowboys are already only on the absolute fringes of playoff contention, this game is going to do monster viewership numbers. Dallas is always a ratings factory and the Chiefs are, right now, probably the second-biggest draw in the NFL — and that’s only if they haven’t actually surpassed the Cowboys.
Oh, and it should be a fascinating football matchup absolutely loaded with stars on both sides of the ball. Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Chris Jones, Rashee Rice, Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Quinnen Williams and more all on the same field at the same time? Yes, please. Sign me up.
Dallas has played 57 Thanksgiving games in its history and has compiled a 34-22-1 all-time record. The Cowboys have won three Thanksgiving games in a row, with each of those victories coming against a divisional opponent: the Giants twice and Washington once. The last time they lost on Thanksgiving was in 2021, when they lost an overtime game to the Las Vegas Raiders while playing without both Lamb and Amari Cooper.
This game is part of a hellacious end-of-season sprint for the Cowboys, who face the Eagles, Chiefs, Lions, Vikings and Chargers all in a row before closing out the season against the Commanders and Giants.
Chiefs vs. Cowboys prediction: Can Patrick Mahomes keep pace with Dak Prescott and the potent Dallas offense?
Douglas Clawson
Kansas City is 5-5 in its 10 Thanksgiving contests, but has not played on the holiday since 2006, when Larry Johnson rushed for 157 yards to lead the Chiefs to a win over the division-rival Broncos. That was also the first year that the league played a Thursday night game on Thanksgiving in addition to the games hosted by the Lions and Cowboys.
The last time the Cowboys and Chiefs played on Thanksgiving was in 1995, with the Cowboys prevailing 24-12 behind an 11-catch, 121-yard game from Michael Irvin.
Date: Nov. 27 | Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
Location: M&T Bank Stadium
TV: NBC
Here we have another big divisional matchup to match the one that gets the day started. The Bengals and Ravens played two of the most entertaining games of the 2024 season, and here’s hoping we get treated to a rematch on Thanksgiving night. At the very least, here’s hoping we get to see Joe Burrow back in action for this game, as Week 13 has been targeted as a potential return date for the injured quarterback. (Even if we don’t, the Joe Flacco-led Bengals offense is pretty exciting, and could provide some fireworks here.)
The Bengals have played just one Thanksgiving game in their history, losing 26-10 to the Jets in 2010 in what was a rematch of the playoff game the two teams played the year before. The Bengals have an interesting stretch of schedule beginning with this game, as they travel to Baltimore before heading to Buffalo to take on the Bills and then return home to host the Ravens again in Week 15.
The Ravens have played just twice on Thanksgiving, winning each of their games in 2011 and 2013. The last time they played was when they took on the Steelers back in 2013, with the Ravens entering as the defending Super Bowl champions. Baltimore hosts the Steelers in between these two games against Cincinnati.