NFL on Thanksgiving Day

Imagine a giant feast with your family, and then, surprise! A football game is on TV! That's what Thanksgiving Day football is like.

The NFL, which is like a big league of football teams, started playing games on Thanksgiving way back in 1920. It's a special day for families to gather, eat yummy food, and watch some exciting football together. It’s become a super fun tradition that many people look forward to every year, almost as much as the pumpkin pie!

Two teams are extra special on Thanksgiving: the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys. The Lions have been hosting a Thanksgiving game since 1934, which is older than your grandparents! The Cowboys joined the Thanksgiving tradition in 1966.

These games are like the main course of the Thanksgiving football menu. Sometimes, there’s even a third game played at night, like a special dessert treat for football fans!

Why do we watch football on Thanksgiving? It’s a way to bring people together! After eating lots of delicious food, watching a game is a fun activity for everyone.

It’s a chance to cheer for your favorite team and share some laughs. The NFL even calls these games the 'Thanksgiving Classic' to show how special they are. It’s a holiday tradition that makes Thanksgiving even more exciting and memorable for millions of people.

There’s a very important person the NFL honors on Thanksgiving: John Madden. He was a famous football coach and a super popular TV announcer. He loved football so much that the NFL now calls the special Thanksgiving games the 'John Madden Thanksgiving Celebration' to remember him.

It’s a way to celebrate his love for the game and share that excitement with everyone watching on this special holiday.