What is the Cowboys' Record on Thanksgiving? Full Year-by-Year History

The Dallas Cowboys play the New York Giants for their Thanksgiving Day game this year.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Rush throws during the first quarter against the Houston Texans at AT&T Stadium. / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

America's Team always plays on Thanksgiving Day.

This year, the Dallas Cowboys (4-7) continue their holiday tradition against the New York Giants (2-9). While the game doesn't jump off the page, the Cowboys are a Thanksgiving fixture all the way back to 1966.

Dallas followed in the Detroit Lions' footsteps in playing at home each Turkey Day. The Lions have played on Thanksgiving each year since 1934, the only tradition with a longer-standing compared to the Cowboys.

The Cowboys have fared better than the Lions on Thanksgiving Day, however. Overall, Dallas is well above .500 on the holiday and is coming off a win last year over the Washington Commanders, 45-10. Now, the Cowboys are coming off a win over the Commanders last week and they hope to get out on a little winning streak with a good opportunity to do so when the Giants come to AT&T Stadium.

Here's everything you need to know about the Dallas Cowboys' Thanksgiving tradition:

The Cowboys’ Win-Loss Record on Thanksgiving: How Have They Fared?

The Dallas Cowboys' Thanksgiving Day tradition dates back to 1966. Their best stretch came in the 1980s when they won six straight games on Thanksgiving from 1980-85.

Overall, the Cowboys are 33-22-1 all-time in their Thanksgiving Day games. They have won their game two years in a row, which snapped a three-game losing streak from 2019-21. They snapped the losing streak against the Giants in 2022.

Dallas rattled off a four in a row from 2006-09 before the New Orleans Saints snapped the streak with a 30-27 win in 2010.

The Cowboys' Year-by-Year Thanksgiving Game Results

Dallas has played on Thanksgiving annually since they began their tradition of hosting games in 1966. There are only two years, 1975 and 1977, where Dallas didn't play on Thanksgiving. The NFL gave Thanksgiving games to the St. Louis Cardinals those years in an attempt to boost the franchise.

The Cowboys' 33-22-1 record on Turkey Day is better than the Lions, who have played on Thanksgiving since 1934. The Lions are 37-45-2 all-time on Thanksgiving.

The Cowboys are on a two-year Thanksgiving heater. Before, they dropped three in a row from 2019-21.

Here is Dallas' year-by-year results since their Thanksgiving game tradition began:

Year	Opponent	Result	Location
2023	Washington Commanders	W, 45-10	Dallas
2022	New York Giants	W, 28-20	Dallas
2021	Las Vegas Raiders	L, 36-33	Dallas
2020	Washington Football Team	L, 41-16	Dallas
2019	Buffalo Bills	L, 26-15	Dallas
2018	Washington Redskins	W, 31-23	Dallas
2017	Los Angeles Chargers	L, 28-6	Dallas
2016	Washington Redskins	W, 31-26	Dallas
2015	Carolina Panthers	L, 33-14	Dallas
2014	Philadelphia Eagles	L, 33-10	Dallas
2013	Oakland Raiders	W, 31-24	Dallas
2012	Washington Redskins	L, 38-31	Dallas
2011	Miami Dolphins	W, 20-19	Dallas
2010	New Orleans Saints	L, 30-27	Dallas
2009	Oakland Raiders	W, 24-7	Dallas
2008	Seattle Seahawks	W, 34-9	Dallas
2007	New York Jets	W, 34-3	Dallas
2006	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	W, 38-10	Dallas
2005	Denver Broncos	L, 24-21 (OT)	Dallas
2004	Chicago Bears	W, 21-7	Dallas
2003	Miami Dolphins	L, 40-21	Dallas
2002	Washington Redskins	W, 27-20	Dallas
2001	Denver Broncos	L, 26-24	Dallas
2000	Minnesota Vikings	L, 27-15	Dallas
1999	Miami Dolphins	W, 20-0	Dallas
1998	Minnesota Vikings	L, 46-36	Dallas
1997	Tennessee Titans	L, 27-14	Dallas
1996	Washington Redskins	W, 21-10	Dallas
1995	Kansas City Chiefs	W, 24-12	Dallas
1994	Green Bay Packers	W, 42-31	Dallas
1993	Miami Dolphins	L, 16-14	Dallas
1992	New York Giants	W, 30-3	Dallas
1991	Pittsburgh Steelers	W, 20-10	Dallas
1990	Washington Redskins	W, 27-17	Dallas
1989	Philadelphia Eagles	L, 27-0	Dallas
1988	Houston Oilers	L, 25-17	Dallas
1987	Minnesota Vikings	L, 44-38 (OT)	Dallas
1986	Seattle Seahawks	W, 31-14	Dallas
1985	St. Louis Cardinals	W, 35-17	Dallas
1984	New England Patriots	W, 20-17	Dallas
1983	St. Louis Cardinals	W, 35-17	Dallas
1982	Cleveland Browns	W, 31-14	Dallas
1981	Chicago Bears	W, 10-9	Dallas
1980	Seattle Seahawks	W, 51-7	Dallas
1979	Houston Oilers	L, 30-24	Dallas
1978	Washington Redskins	W, 37-10	Dallas
1976	St. Louis Cardinals	W, 19-14	Dallas
1974	Washington Redskins	W, 24-23	Dallas
1973	Miami Dolphins	L, 14-7	Dallas
1972	San Francisco 49ers	L, 31-10	Dallas
1971	Los Angeles Rams	W, 28-21	Dallas
1970	Green Bay Packers	W, 16-3	Dallas
1969	San Francisco 49ers	T, 24-24	Dallas
1968	Washington Redskins	W, 29-20	Dallas
1967	St. Louis Cardinals	W, 46-21	Dallas
1966	Cleveland Browns	W, 26-14	Dallas

Memorable Thanksgiving Moments for the Dallas Cowboys

In 1994, Cowboys starting quarterback Troy Aikman was injured which led to a start from third-string quarterback Jason Garrett, who went on to coach the team from 2011-19. Garrett led Dallas to a 42-31 win over the Green Bay Packers and Brett Favre.

The most memorable Thanksgiving moment for Dallas came just a year before, though. In a snow-filled game (yes, in Texas), the Cowboys blocked a late field goal attempt from the Miami Dolphins. The ball rolled through the snow and Dallas didn't want to touch the ball but Leon Lett fell as he made a mistake trying to grab the ball, which thumped it forward and gave Miami the chance to recover it. The Dolphins then kicked a short field goal to win the game, 16-14.

Thanksgiving Day Game Traditions and Fan Engagement

America's Team is must-watch TV on Thanksgiving, frequently the most popular game of the day and one of the highest-rated games of the NFL season. That may change with the recent rise of the Detroit Lions, but the Cowboys' coveted mid-afternoon time slot should continue as a top-rated game on the year.

When the Cowboys started playing on Thanksgiving in the 1966 season, the team coincided the idea with a run of success that lasted into the '80s. The Cowboys set an attendance record of 80,259 and finished 10-3-1 in '66. 

The Cowboys would go on to win two Super Bowls in the 1970s, launch the extremely popular Cowboys cheerleaders and develop a new face of the league in former Navy quarterback Roger Staubach. The Cowboys' golden era turned them into the country's most popular team, still dubbed as America's Team to this day.

Fans can continue to count on America's Team to put on a show as they sit for their Thanksgiving dinners.

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