Watching a slate of NFL games — kicked off by the Detroit Lions — has been a Thanksgiving tradition since 1934.
While football and the holiday have become nearly inseparable, there’s one thing the game may never overshadow: the Thanksgiving menu.
For those who celebrate, the holiday is as much about gathering with loved ones over a meal as it is about touchdowns. The spread typically centers on turkey, surrounded by classic sides, but that’s not the case for every family — including some of the Lions’ defensive players.
Surprisingly, several players on Detroit’s defense admit they don’t even like turkey. While some listed traditional Thanksgiving staples as favorites, others revealed unique, untraditional dishes that round out their holiday plates.
After hosting the Chicago Bears at Ford Field in the 85th annual Thanksgiving Day game — marking the 20th holiday matchup between the two teams — Lions players will look forward to joining their families for dinner.
In the lead-up to the game, MLive asked several players on the Lions’ defense about their first-plate favorites, the dishes they steer clear of, and their Thanksgiving traditions beyond suiting up for NFL action.
What will your first plate look like on Thanksgiving Day? What are you planning to have?
Carlton Davis III: “Maybe some fried chicken, collard greens, cornbread, stuffing or dressing — whatever you want to call it — mac and cheese, cornbread … wait, I said cornbread? Throw another piece on there. Some sweet potato pie for sure. I like pigeon peas and rice. I like baked beans too. Everybody doesn’t do baked beans for Thanksgiving. And then yeah, I gotta have my sweet potato pie after. And no turkey. I don’t like turkey. I just like fried chicken.”
Terrion Arnold: “Mac and cheese, candied yams, gotta have my collard greens. Can’t forget about the cornbread. You know, we gonna go ahead and go some fried chicken. We gonna go ahead and go some oxtails. Can’t forget about the pigeon peas and rice. And you can’t forget about the cranberry sauce. I love that cranberry sauce. And I’mma have my sweet potato pie next to me. I’mma have my apple pie with me. And also on my plate, we gonna have that honey-glazed ham.”
Khalil Dorsey: “I know I have to have the mashed potatoes. And I have to have the mac and cheese. We’re gonna have the turkey. But it’s like — it’s Thanksgiving, you gotta have the turkey. You know what I’m saying? We also have ribs at my crib. So I put the ribs on top… and the ham.”
Za’Darius Smith: “I would say gravy with some mashed potatoes, stuffing, some turkey, a little bit of ham, a little bit of mac and cheese, a little bit of yams, a little bit of greens, and some cornbread on the side.”
DJ Reader: “The only thing I look forward to on Thanksgiving is chitlins (chitterlings). Now everybody is not going to agree with that — me eating that — but that’s what I look forward to. So chitlins is gonna be on there, cranberry sauce, macaroni and cheese, some dressing, and some turnip greens. I gotta have some turnip greens in.”
Alim McNeill: “Turkey, of course, because I don’t do ham. Macaroni and cheese, cornbread, greens, corn, maybe cranberry sauce, and some gravy, of course.”
What food absolutely has to stay far away from your plate?
Davis III: “The cranberry sauce or whatever they call it. I can’t do that. I don’t want that touching none of my food.”
Arnold: “Staying far away from my plate? I’m not eating no turkey.”
Dorsey: “Stuffing and gravy is probably top for me. Just because I feel like the stuffing be dry. I think I’ve just had a bad experience with it. I haven’t even tried it in the past… I don’t know how many years. And then gravy? Just never been a big fan of gravy. Don’t even touch my potatoes with that.”
Smith: “Sweet tea and a dessert. Yeah, staying far away from that.”
McNeill: “I don’t like dressing. I don’t like that, so I’d keep that far away from mine. But other than that, everything can stay.”
Does your family have a yearly tradition for Thanksgiving?
Davis III: “Not really … but my family will be up here, so we’ll have Thanksgiving together.”
Arnold: “My tradition used to be with my teammates or my family watching the NFL. So now it’s like, ‘Man, 12:30? That’s when people are eating.’ (Now) they’re watching me. So I’mma add my new tradition: make plays on Thursdays. And after I get done, I’m going to see the fam, and I’mma talk about how I made the plays.”
Dorsey: “Nah, we don’t have any traditions. Everyone tries to come out here since we play on Thanksgiving and try to make it a little family thing.”
Smith: “I would say giving thanks and giving back. I know this is like my first (Thanksgiving game), second game (in Detroit). I feel like I can affect the community by showing appreciation by giving back.”
McNeill: “We don’t have a specific family tradition. We used to all just meet up at grandma’s, either on my mom’s or dad’s side. But other than that, the best part about it is just getting to meet up, see everybody, and eat some good food.”
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