DETROIT – The Detroit Lions are preparing to face the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field for their annual Thanksgiving Day football game.
The divisional rivalry matchup will kick off Thursday, Nov. 27, at the new start time of 1 p.m.
Both teams are competing for playoff positioning, making the matchup one of the biggest games on the holiday.
The Lions seek revenge after a season-opening loss to the Packers at Lambeau Field.
This game will be the first of three on Thanksgiving, followed by the Dallas Cowboys hosting the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens playing the Cincinnati Bengals.
The three-game slate is a newer tradition; in past years, only the Lions and Cowboys hosted Thanksgiving games.
While the Cowboys’ presence on Thanksgiving was expected, the Lions’ role was less obvious given their historical struggles and lower popularity than Dallas’.
Before the Lions’ recent resurgence, Detroit was often viewed as an easy opponent, frequently suffering blowout losses on national TV as families got together to give thanks.
That result raised the question of how the Lions secured the coveted Thanksgiving broadcast slot.
Annual tradition begins in 1934
The tradition started in 1934 when owner George A. Richards moved the team to Detroit and scheduled a Thanksgiving Day game to attract fans who favored baseball, then America’s most popular sport.
Richards, a former radio executive, secured a national radio broadcast for the game, turning it into a major event and creating a tradition that has lasted nearly 100 years.
He purchased the Portsmouth (Ohio) Spartans, an NFL team founded in 1928, and moved them to Detroit in 1934.
Detroit was primarily a baseball town, making it challenging for the Lions to gain attention.
To attract fans in their first season, Richards scheduled a Thanksgiving Day game against divisional rival Chicago Bears, who were 11-0 at the time.
The Lions, with a 10-1 record and a strong defense, had not allowed a touchdown until their eighth game.
The game took place at University of Detroit Stadium, which seated 26,000 fans.
The Lions lost 19-16, but the matchup laid the groundwork for the Thanksgiving tradition.
Detroit lost the Western Division title the following week to Chicago, 10-7.
History is repeating itself as the Bears are your leaders of the NFC North Division with an 8-3 record, while the Lions are close behind at 7-4.
Despite the loss, Richards convinced the league that the Lions showed promise in Detroit, and the team was rewarded when it won its first franchise championship the next year.
A key game in the championship season was a Thanksgiving Day victory over the Bears, 14-2, clinching the Western Division title.
That 1935 Thanksgiving win helped cement the tradition, although there was a break from 1939 to 1944.
Since then, the Lions have been a consistent national presence.
Detroit went on to win NFL championships in 1952, 1953, and 1957, gaining further national attention.
Seeking more publicity, Richards partnered with NBC Radio to create a 94-station network broadcasting the Lions’ games.
Thanksgiving football roots in college rivalry
Thanksgiving football began before the NFL, starting in 1895 with a game between the Michigan Wolverines and the University of Chicago Maroons.
This collegiate rivalry was an annual tradition from 1895 to 1905, mostly played in Chicago.
Michigan won the inaugural game 12-0, and the winner often claimed the conference championship, similar to Michigan’s rivalry with Ohio State today.