The NFL's Thanksgiving football tradition continues to grow. Starting with the Detroit Lions hosting in 1934, then the Dallas Cowboys joining in 1966, and a third game added in 2006, the league now adds Thanksgiving Eve to create a five-game holiday slate.
Thanksgiving Eve — Wednesday, Nov. 25
Packers at [Opponent TBD]
The Packers will travel to warmer weather for a holiday-week showdown against a playoff-caliber opponent. Both the Packers and the Rams made the 2025 playoffs, with the Packers losing to the Bears in the Wild Card Round and the Rams falling to the eventual Super Bowl-champion Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game.
Packers star EDGE Micah Parsons should be back by game time after tearing his ACL in December, though he may miss some time early in the season.
Thanksgiving Day — Thursday, Nov. 26
1 p.m. ET on CBS, Paramount+ — Bears at Lions
The Lions host their NFC North rival Bears in the first Thanksgiving matchup. Chicago is coming off a breakthrough 11-6 season that included its first division crown since 2018 and first playoff win since 2010. Meanwhile, the Lions' streak of division titles ended at two, and at 9-8, Detroit missed the playoffs entirely.
Under first-year coach Ben Johnson, Caleb Williams put forward a strong second season with six fourth-quarter comebacks. The Bears' running game, led by 1,000-yard rusher D'Andre Swift, ranked among the NFL's best. Chicago also led the NFL with 33 turnovers forced.
Despite their divergent seasons, Detroit swept Chicago and has won seven of the last eight meetings. Jahmyr Gibbs produced over 1,800 yards from scrimmage for the second straight year and made the Pro Bowl for the third consecutive season, while Amon-Ra St. Brown recorded more than 1,400 yards receiving.
The Lions have lost eight of their last nine Thanksgiving games, with their lone win in that span coming against the Bears in 2024.
Afternoon Game — Eagles at Cowboys
The second Thanksgiving matchup features another divisional rivalry as the Eagles visit the Cowboys. Dallas has won four straight Thanksgiving games but lost its last game against Philadelphia on Turkey Day in 2014.
The Cowboys boasted one of the NFL's best offenses in 2025, with Dak Prescott throwing for 30 touchdowns and over 4,500 yards. Both George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb exceeded 1,000 receiving yards, and Javonte Williams rushed for over 1,200 yards. Despite the offensive production, Dallas finished 7-9-1 due to a porous defense.
The Cowboys dedicated much of their offseason to improving defense, bringing in Christian Parker (formerly the Eagles' secondary coach) as defensive coordinator and drafting former Ohio State star Caleb Downs 11th overall.
The Eagles became the first team in over 20 years to repeat as NFC East champions, though the offense was inconsistent and Philadelphia lost in the Wild Card Round. Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, DeVonta Smith and a stellar offensive line return, but A.J. Brown won't join them. First-round rookie Makai Lemon will have big shoes to fill immediately.
With Jalen Carter and Jonathan Greenard up front and Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean in the secondary, Philadelphia figures to have another strong defense.
Thanksgiving Nightcap — Chiefs at Bills
One of the NFL's best non-divisional rivalries serves as the Thanksgiving nightcap as the Chiefs visit the Bills, who will open a new stadium this year.
Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen represent the premier quarterback showdown of this generation. Allen holds a 5-1 record against Mahomes in the regular season, but Mahomes owns a perfect 4-0 record against Allen in the playoffs.
Both teams are coming off 2025 seasons that ended in difficult fashion. Mahomes suffered a torn ACL in December, and the Chiefs' season ended earlier than expected. The Bills similarly saw their campaign end in disappointment, setting up this highly anticipated holiday matchup.