DETROIT, Mich. – Two football teams that can be heard every Thanksgiving are the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys.

As families work in the kitchen to prepare the turkey and all the delicious side dishes for the big Thanksgiving meal, this very encounter is most likely playing in the background on the television or radio.

So why do the Lions and Cowboys play on Thanksgiving every year? Here is the full story.

Why do the Lions and Cowboys play every Thanksgiving?

In 1934, Detroit radio executive George A. Richards bought the Portsmouth Spartans, moved the team to Detroit and renamed them the Lions, according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

To attract fans during the team’s first season in the Motor City, Richards scheduled a game against the Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving. He worked with NBC Radio to create a 94-station network to broadcast the game.

The excitement surrounding the game at the University of Detroit Stadium was high. According to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, all 26,000 tickets were sold two weeks before the game, with an additional 25,000 estimated had more seats been available.

The Bears defeated the Lions 19-16. The two teams faced off again on Thanksgiving in the 1935 season, and Detroit returned the favor, winning with a final score of 14-2.

Since then, the Lions have played a Thanksgiving game every year, except for a six-year hiatus from 1939 to 1944 during World War II.

When was the Dallas Cowboys’ first Thanksgiving game?

Meanwhile, the Dallas tradition began in 1966 with a game broadcast on CBS. General Manager Tex Schramm wanted more national publicity. The Cowboys played the Cleveland Browns in the Cotton Bowl in front of 80,000 spectators and won 26-14.

The Cowboys made the playoffs in 18 of the next 20 seasons, winning two Super Bowls during that time (1971 and 1977) and quickly gaining popularity across the country.

Dallas has played on Thanksgiving every year since 1966, with the exception of 1975 and 1977, when the St. Louis Cardinals took their place.

When was the first Cowboys-Lions Thanksgiving game?

In fact, the teams have never competed against each other on Thanksgiving Day. They are both reliable and long-time holiday hosts. So unless one of the teams agrees to travel on that fourth Thursday in November, they will be in a situation where they will never play each other on the holiday.

Who won the most Thanksgiving games between the Lions and Cowboys?

The Lions have the most wins and most losses of any NFL team playing on Thanksgiving. According to ESPN, the team has a record of 37-45-2 and has not won on the holiday since 2016, when it defeated the Minnesota Vikings.

The Cowboys have a record of 33-22-1 and have won their last two Turkey Day games.

Who will the Lions and Cowboys play this year?

The Lions (10-1), who have won nine straight games, host the Chicago Bears (4-7) in an NFC North battle at 12:30 p.m. Shaboozey is scheduled to perform at Ford Field at halftime.

The Cowboys (4-7) will look to keep the momentum from Sunday’s win over the Washington Commanders as they host the New York Giants (2-9) at 4:30 p.m. Country artist Lainey Wilson will perform at AT&T Stadium at halftime.

Eric Henderson contributed to this report.