Thanksgiving and football have become inseparable, a pairing as quintessential as turkey and stuffing. For Dallas Cowboys fans, this tradition extends beyond the gridiron to the table. When the Cowboys host the New York Giants this Thanksgiving, luxury suite guests won’t just be cheering for touchdowns—they’ll also be digging into a jaw-dropping feast featuring 13,000 pounds of turkey, 5,400 pounds of ham, and a spread of sides and pies that would make even the most seasoned holiday host envious.
It’s the kind of spectacle you expect from Jerry Jones’ Cowboys: larger-than-life and meticulously planned. Yet, this culinary bonanza is only a small part of what makes the NFL’s Thanksgiving tradition so iconic. Football on Turkey Day has been a staple since the league’s earliest days, but its evolution from a ploy to sell tickets into an unshakable cultural phenomenon is a testament to the NFL’s knack for seizing a moment and turning it into something lasting.
The story of Thanksgiving football starts with the Detroit Lions, who hosted their first game in 1934 to drum up local interest in their newly relocated franchise. Nearly 26,000 fans packed the stadium that day—a massive crowd for the time—to watch the Lions face off against the reigning champion Chicago Bears. The gamble paid off, and the Lions have played every Thanksgiving since, save for a break during World War II.
Fast-forward to 1966, when the Cowboys jumped on the bandwagon. General Manager Tex Schramm was a visionary, convincing the NFL to guarantee gate revenue to offset any potential losses. But the Cowboys didn’t need a safety net. Over 80,000 fans showed up at the Cotton Bowl that first Thanksgiving, and the Cowboys have been a Thanksgiving Day fixture ever since.
Together, the Lions and Cowboys are the undisputed anchors of Thanksgiving football. The games are steeped in tradition, with matchups against teams like the Bears and Packers adding historical weight. Fans gather around the TV, plates piled high, to watch these teams battle it out. Last year, a record-breaking 42 million people tuned in to the Cowboys’ game, solidifying the NFL’s dominance in the holiday sports landscape.
The NFL’s knack for innovation doesn’t stop at Thanksgiving. Last year, the league debuted its first-ever Black Friday game, partnering with Amazon for a 3 p.m. kickoff. The timing wasn’t arbitrary—it strategically skirted restrictions in the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961, which prohibits NFL games during high school and college football hours. By kicking off just before the law’s exemption window, the NFL added another lucrative date to its calendar without breaking the rules.
For Amazon, the Black Friday game isn’t just about football—it’s a chance to redefine how fans interact with the sport. Unlike its Thursday Night Football broadcasts, which require a Prime subscription, Amazon’s Black Friday games are free for anyone with an email address. It’s a clever move to attract new users, and the company isn’t stopping there. The broadcast integrates shoppable ads tailored to viewers’ preferences. Imagine seeing a Bose commercial featuring Joe Burrow, clicking a button, and purchasing headphones without ever leaving the game. That’s not science fiction—it’s happening now, and it’s a glimpse of what sports broadcasting could look like in the future.
The partnership is already paying dividends. Amazon sold out its advertising inventory for this year’s Black Friday game weeks in advance, with 40% of the advertisers new to Prime Video. Last year’s game drew just under 10 million viewers—not bad considering it featured backup quarterbacks. This year’s Chiefs-Raiders matchup promises bigger numbers, and the stakes for Amazon are clear: convert viewers into loyal Prime subscribers and, perhaps, shoppers on the biggest retail day of the year.
From a journalist’s perspective, what’s fascinating about the NFL is its ability to honor tradition while relentlessly pushing boundaries. The league has a nearly unmatched knack for creating value out of seemingly ordinary days. Thanksgiving football? A tradition born in the Great Depression. Black Friday football? A modern innovation designed to capitalize on the NFL’s most valuable commodity: attention.
It’s no surprise that the NFL remains the gold standard in American sports. Unlike other leagues that struggle with fractured audiences or waning interest, the NFL dominates. Last year’s three Thanksgiving games alone drew 133 million viewers, dwarfing the NBA’s Christmas Day slate. Even its least-watched Thanksgiving game outperformed the NBA’s best by more than fivefold.
The league’s ability to innovate extends beyond its partnerships with tech giants. By adding more one-off games like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and now Black Friday, the NFL is creating new revenue streams without oversaturating the market. These games have become prime real estate for advertisers and have helped drive team valuations to dizzying heights.
Thanksgiving football remains a celebration of tradition, community, and, yes, a little overindulgence. But the NFL isn’t resting on its laurels. With savvy partnerships like its Black Friday deal with Amazon, the league is showing it knows how to mix the old with the new, blending nostalgia with cutting-edge technology.
As the Cowboys and Giants take the field this Thanksgiving and the Chiefs and Raiders headline Black Friday, fans aren’t just watching games. They’re witnessing the NFL’s future unfold, one innovative play at a time. That’s something to be thankful for.
