Who is playing NFL football on Thanksgiving 2023? Check out the full schedule of games here, with three clashes to look forward to headlined by the Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers.
Who Is Playing NFL Football On Thanksgiving?
The curtain has closed on a breathtaking week of action in Week 11, and we’re looking forward to the Thanksgiving schedule which kicks off this Thursday, November 23rd.
Below we have listed each game which will take place on America’s national holiday to enjoy alongside your turkey and stuffing.
The NFL‘s Thanksgiving Day games have traditionally included one hosted by the Lions since 1934 and one by the Cowboys since 1966 (with two exceptions in 1975 and 1977) which are both played in the afternoon.
In 2006, a third prime time game was added but it has no fixed teams – leaving it up to the league to decide who plays, with the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers chosen for 2023.
NFL Thanksgiving Full Schedule
Green Bay Packers 
@ Detroit Lions: 12:30pm ET on FOX
The Packers and Lions begin the action in the early afternoon on FOX from Ford Field in Detroit, as the hosts look to continue their three-game win streak and build on a thrilling comeback against the Chicago Bears on Sunday.
Detroit hold the second-best record in the league at 8-2, behind only the Philadelphia Eagles currently. If the Eagles fall to defeat against the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football, that would leave all three teams tied at 8-2.
Green Bay edged the LA Chargers to record their second win in their last three outings at the weekend, moving to 4-6 and will feel they need a result on the road to keep up with the teams around them in the playoff picture.
This match-up has been dominated by Detroit in recent years, who have won each of the last four meetings. Detroit vs Green Bay is the most frequent match-up on Thanksgiving among active teams, playing a total of 22 times (including 2023).
The Detroit Lions are 8-2.
Best 10-game start to a season since 1962. pic.twitter.com/K0hRH4lKa4
— StatMuse (@statmuse) November 19, 2023
Washington Commanders @ Dallas Cowboys: 4:30pm ET on CBS
@ 
Dallas Cowboys: 4:30pm ET on CBSThe second match-up is live on CBS from 4:30pm ET as the Dallas Cowboys host the Washington Commanders in Arlington, as the hosts look to make it consecutive wins on Thanksgiving following triumph against the New York Giants in 2022.
Dallas have started the season in impressive fashion with a 7-3 record and look a major threat to the likes of the Eagles, Lions and 49ers in the AFC. They’re coming off blowout wins against the Giants and Panthers and are full of confidence.
The Commanders have lost four of their last five outings and lost in disappointing style to the Giants on Sunday, currently sitting with a 4-7 record and could now look to simply put themselves in the best possible position for the 2024 NFL Draft.
CeeDee Lamb is in the hunt to win Offensive Player of the Year for Dallas, whilst Micah Parsons is a frontrunner for Defensive Player of the Year. They’ll be aiming to put things right against Washington after losing in their last match-up earlier this year in January.
Dallas vs Washington is the fourth-most frequent match-up on Thanksgiving among active teams, playing a total of 11 times (including 2023).
THE PICK-6 KING DARON BLAND DOES IT AGAIN.
📺: #DALvsCAR on FOX
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/jckqnJwdb2 pic.twitter.com/GQhL47ZBnd— NFL (@NFL) November 19, 2023
San Francisco 49ers @ Seattle Seahawks: 8:20pm ET on NBC
@ 
Seattle Seahawks: 8:20pm ET on NBCThe San Francisco 49ers are amongst the favorites to win the Super Bowl next February and enter Thursday’s prime time match-up with two straight wins under their belt over the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
After three straight losses to the Cleveland Browns, Minnesota Vikings and Cincinnati Bengals, they responded in typical fashion as any contender would. This Thanksgiving clash against Seattle should be a very interesting watch.
The Seahawks have lost two of their last three, with defeats against the Baltimore Ravens and Los Angeles Rams sandwiching a win against the Washington Commanders. Quarterback Geno Smith suffered a tricep injury in Sunday’s loss to LA and his status is unclear for Thursday.
49ers signal caller Brock Purdy has responded to critics in style by recording a passer rating of 157.3 over his last two starts, the highest number achieved by any NFL quarterback over a two-start span since tracking began in 1950.
He was almost perfect against Tampa Bay, completing 21/25 passes for 333 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions – heating up at just the right time.
PURDY TO AIYUK. 76-YARD TOUCHDOWN.
📺: #TBvsSF on FOX
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/jckqnJwdb2 pic.twitter.com/PQMIcpKyIW— NFL (@NFL) November 19, 2023
Detroit Lions NFL Thanksgiving Football Results
The Lions have played the most Thanksgiving games of any team in the NFL with a total of 82. They played their first game against the Chicago Bears in 1934 and have played on the holiday every year since 1945.
Detroit have amassed a 37-44-2 record on Thanksgiving, but haven’t enjoyed this day since the turn of the century. From 2000, they are 6-17 on Thanksgiving and haven’t won since 2016.
They’ll fancy their chances of getting a win on the board against the Packers, but their poor record could also continue to elude them with an upset.
Green Bay Packers NFL Thanksgiving Football Results
The Packers are 14-20-2 on Thanksgiving, with 36 games on the holiday under their belt. Their last outing was against the Chicago Bears in 2015, losing 13-17 at home.
They enter Thursday’s match-up as significant underdogs against a bonafide Super Bowl contender in the Lions. They last played against Detroit on Thanksgiving in 2013, losing 40-10.
The Lions have a 12-8-1 advantage against Green Bay when playing on Thanksgiving and they’re widely expected to extend that advantage this week.
Dallas Cowboys NFL Thanksgiving Football Results
Since starting their Thanksgiving tradition in 1966, the Cowboys have gone 32-22-1 on one of America’s favorite holidays. Between 1980 and 1985, Dallas set a franchise record by winning six straight Thanksgiving Day games.
Like the Lions, in recent years their results have left much to be desired. However after losing three in a row, they snapped that streak last year with a win against the New York Giants.
The Cowboys are heavily favored to make it consecutive Turkey Day victories when they face the 4-7 Washington Commanders this time around, although they did lose the last match-up they played against them.
Washington Commanders NFL Thanksgiving Football Results
The Commanders have played 12 games on Thanksgiving in their history, with a record of 4-8. They last played on Thanksgiving against the Cowboys in November 2020, winning 41-16.
The two teams first played the Thursday classic in 1968 and Washington are 2-8 against Dallas in this matchup. They’re struggling this season and are huge underdogs heading in.
Seattle Seahawks NFL Thanksgiving Football Results
The Seahawks have played just four times on Thanksgiving Day during their history and have a record of 2-2. They last played on this day against the San Francisco 49ers in 2014, winning 19-3 at home.
Prior to that, they lost 34-9 to the Cowboys in 2008, beat the Cowboys 31-14 in 1986 and lost to the Cowboys 51-7 in 1980. They could be without their quarterback for this clash which will hurt their chances of an upset against the Super Bowl hopeful 49ers.
San Francisco 49ers NFL Thanksgiving Football Results
The 49ers have played on Thanksgiving on six different occasions, with a record of 3-2-1. They last played in a defeat to the Seahawks in 2014 and prior to that lost 16-6 to the Baltimore Ravens in 2011.
They beat the Cowboys 31-10 in 1972, drew to the Cowboys in a 24-24 thriller in 1969, beat the Lions 41-14 in 1966 and beat the Brooklyn Dodgers 21-7 in 1947.
Brock Purdy’s offense is ticking at just the right time and they’ll be confident of securing a win on the road this week.
Why Is There NFL Games On Thanksgiving?
The concept of playing football on Thanksgiving Day dates as far back as 1876, not long after the game had been initially invented. This was because Thanksgiving is a national holiday and most people had the day off work.
College teams began the tradition by hosting their championship game on the holiday and when the NFL was founded in 1920, teams began playing on the day to increase their popularity.
Football was still an amateur sport at the time and the league hoped that scheduling games on Thanksgiving would help the league become part of people’s everyday lives, increasing interest and notability.
The Lions began the tradition in 1934 and the rest is history. By the 1970s, Thanksgiving and NFL football became inseparable.
Add Sportslens to your Google News Feed!
