5K Turkey Trots: Super fun or a holiday vibe killer?
Mackenzie Salmon asks current and former NFL players how they would feel if they woke up Thanksgiving morning to run in a 5k Turkey Trot.
Sports Seriously
It’s a sight as warm and familiar as your grandma’s apple crumb pie: the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving.
Well, familiar, at least.
Much like stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy and your annoying, slightly inebriated uncle, the Cowboys and Lions are Turkey Day staples, giving fans deja vu every year as they prep their birds and open the cans of cranberry sauce.
In a tradition that stretches back to the 1930s, the Lions have graced television sets across the country. In 2024, things are a little different, as the Lions are legitimate Super Bowl contenders – a label that’s rarely been bestowed upon the team in years past.
And, in what seems to be a bizarre turn of events, the Cowboys are almost entirely out of the playoff race by the time a turkey leg hits the fine china. With an injury to Dak Prescott and a season stuffed full of disappointment, the Cowboys won’t have have opportunity to play for a Lombardi Trophy in 2024.
That is, barring an early Christmas miracle.
Here’s what to know about the two squads that are Thanksgiving Day mainstays:
What NFL teams always play on Thanksgiving?
The Lions and Cowboys are the two mainstays on Thanksgiving, with Detroit playing their first game in 1934 and Dallas joining the tradition in 1966.
Both teams have been permanent fixtures ever since, with four other teams being selected each year to round out the holiday schedule.
Lions’ Thanksgiving record
Detroit has played 84 total games on Thanksgiving, by far the most in the NFL, and they’re 37-45-2 on the holiday. Here are the most common matchups they’ve had:
- Lions-Packers (22 games): Lions lead 12-9-1
- Lions-Bears (19 games): Bears lead 11-8
- Lions-Vikings (5 games): Vikings lead 3-2
Cowboys’ Thanksgiving record
Dallas has played 56 total games on Thanksgiving with a 33-22-1 record on the holiday entering 2024. Unlike the Lions, they’ve don’t have popular rivalries for the game; Dallas has played 24 different teams on the holiday. Here are their most common opponents:
- Cowboys-Commanders (11 games): Cowboys lead 9-2
- Cowboys-Dolphins (5 games): Dolphins lead 3-2
- Cowboys-Cardinals (4 games): Cowboys lead 4-0
