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

The Detroit Lions play the Chicago Bears for their Thanksgiving Day game this year.

A young Detroit Lions fans holds up his sign in the second quarter against the Green Bay Packers during the annual Thanksgiving Day game at Ford Field. / David Reginek-Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions and Thanksgiving go hand in hand. The hottest team in the league has hosted one of the NFL's Thanksgiving Day games annually since 1934.

Initially, the Lions' Turkey Day game was a ploy to get fans into the building. The team's first owner, George A. Richards, started the tradition as a gimmick to sell tickets. Now, the Lions kick off the NFL's Thanksgiving Day slate in the early afternoon time slot year in and year out.

The Lions' Thanksgiving Day game is now a full spectacle. Last year, award-winning rapper Jack Harlow performed at halftime while this year, Shaboozey of "A Bar Song" fame is set to perform.

While the Lions are real Super Bowl contenders this year, they haven't had the best of luck in their Thanksgiving Day games in recent years. Detroit hasn't won on Thanksgiving since 2016 and lost a close one to their NFC North rivals, the Green Bay Packers, last season. Overall, the Lions haven't dominated on Turkey Day but maybe that's set to change this year after a 10-1 start, tied for the best record in football.

The Lions have a great opportunity to snap their Thanksgiving Day losing streak Thursday when the Chicago Bears (4-7) come to town.

Here's everything you need to know about the Detroit Lions' Thanksgiving tradition:

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

The Lions' Thanksgiving Day tradition dates back to 1934. Excluding the years of 1939-1944, because of World War II, the team has played every year since.

Detroit is 37-45-2 all-time on Turkey Day. A nine-game losing streak from 2004-12 and the current drought since 2016 has dragged down their overall record. The Dallas Cowboys, who have played the most Thanksgiving Day games other than the Lions, are 32-23-1 in their traditional home game which follows the Lions.

The Lions' last Thanksgiving win came over the Minnesota Vikings in 2016 by a final score of 16–13. The Matthew Stafford era was still alive in Detroit. He threw a touchdown pass to Anquan Boldin to put Detroit on the board, then kicker Matt Prater followed it up with three field goals, including a game-winner as the clock expired.

The Lions' Year-by-Year Thanksgiving Game Results

Detroit has played at home each year they've ran out on Turkey Day. Their NFC North foes, Chicago, Minnesota and Green Bay, are common opponents, including a 13-year stretch where the Lions played the Packers each year through the 1950s and early '60s.

Other than a pause from 1939-44 due to World War II, the Lions have played on Thanksgiving Day each year. In between two big losing streaks this century, the Lions rattled off a four-game win streak from 2013-16. Head coach Dan Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes hope to find some similar magic now that their team is on the rise.

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

Year	Opponent	Result	Location
2023	Green Bay Packers	L, 29-22	Detroit
2022	Buffalo Bills	L, 28-25	Detroit
2021	Chicago Bears	L, 16-14	Detroit
2020	Houston Texans	L, 41-25	Detroit
2019	Chicago Bears	L, 24-20	Detroit
2018	Chicago Bears	L, 23-16	Detroit
2017	Minnesota Vikings	L, 30-23	Detroit
2016	Minnesota Vikings	W, 16-13	Detroit
2015	Philadelphia Eagles	W, 45-14	Detroit
2014	Chicago Bears	W, 34-17	Detroit
2013	Green Bay Packers	W, 40-10	Detroit
2012	Houston Texans	L, 34-31 (OT)	Detroit
2011	Green Bay Packers	L, 27-15	Detroit
2010	New England Patriots	L, 45-24	Detroit
2009	Green Bay Packers	L, 34-12	Detroit
2008	Tennessee Titans	L, 47-10	Detroit
2007	Green Bay Packers	L, 37-26	Detroit
2006	Miami Dolphins	L, 27-10	Detroit
2005	Atlanta Falcons	L, 27-7	Detroit
2004	Indianapolis Colts	L, 41-9	Detroit
2003	Green Bay Packers	W, 22-14	Detroit
2002	New England Patriots	L, 20-12	Detroit
2001	Green Bay Packers	L, 29-27	Detroit
2000	New England Patriots	W, 34-9	Detroit
1999	Chicago Bears	W, 21-17	Detroit
1998	Pittsburgh Steelers	W, 19-16 (OT)	Detroit
1997	Chicago Bears	W, 55-20	Detroit
1996	Kansas City Chiefs	L, 28-24	Detroit
1995	Minnesota Vikings	W, 44-38	Detroit
1994	Buffalo Bills	W, 35-21	Detroit
1993	Chicago Bears	L, 10-6	Detroit
1992	Houston Oilers	L, 24-21	Detroit
1991	Chicago Bears	W, 16-6	Detroit
1990	Denver Broncos	W, 40-27	Detroit
1989	Cleveland Browns	W, 13-10	Detroit
1988	Minnesota Vikings	L, 23-0	Detroit
1987	Kansas City Chiefs	L, 27-20	Detroit
1986	Green Bay Packers	L, 44-40	Detroit
1985	New York Jets	W, 31-20	Detroit
1984	Green Bay Packers	W, 31-28	Detroit
1983	Pittsburgh Steelers	W, 45-3	Detroit
1982	New York Giants	L, 13-6	Detroit
1981	Kansas City Chiefs	W, 27-10	Detroit
1980	Chicago Bears	L, 23-17 (OT)	Detroit
1979	Chicago Bears	W, 20-0	Detroit
1978	Denver Broncos	W, 17-14	Detroit
1977	Chicago Bears	L, 31-14	Detroit
1976	Buffalo Bills	W, 27-14	Detroit
1975	Los Angeles Rams	L, 20-0	Detroit
1974	Denver Broncos	L, 31-27	Detroit
1973	Washington Redskins	L, 20-0	Detroit
1972	New York Jets	W, 37-20	Detroit
1971	Kansas City Chiefs	W, 32-21	Detroit
1970	Oakland Raiders	W, 28-14	Detroit
1969	Minnesota Vikings	L, 27-0	Detroit
1968	Philadelphia Eagles	L, 12-0	Detroit
1967	Los Angeles Rams	L, 31-7	Detroit
1966	San Francisco 49ers	L, 41-14	Detroit
1965	Baltimore Colts	T, 24-24	Detroit
1964	Chicago Bears	L, 27-24	Detroit
1963	Green Bay Packers	T, 13-13	Detroit
1962	Green Bay Packers	W, 26-14	Detroit
1961	Green Bay Packers	L, 17-9	Detroit
1960	Green Bay Packers	W, 23-10	Detroit
1959	Green Bay Packers	L, 24-17	Detroit
1958	Green Bay Packers	W, 24-14	Detroit
1957	Green Bay Packers	W, 18-6	Detroit
1956	Green Bay Packers	L, 24-20	Detroit
1955	Green Bay Packers	W, 24-10	Detroit
1954	Green Bay Packers	W, 28-24	Detroit
1953	Green Bay Packers	W, 34-15	Detroit
1952	Green Bay Packers	W, 48-24	Detroit
1951	Green Bay Packers	W, 52-35	Detroit
1950	New York Yanks	W, 49-14	Detroit
1949	Chicago Bears	L, 28-7	Detroit
1948	Chicago Cardinals	L, 28-14	Detroit
1947	Chicago Bears	L, 34-14	Detroit
1946	Boston Yanks	L, 34-10	Detroit
1945	Cleveland Rams	L, 28-21	Detroit
1938	Chicago Bears	W, 14-7	Detroit
1937	Chicago Bears	L, 13-0	Detroit
1936	Chicago Bears	W, 13-7	Detroit
1935	Chicago Bears	W, 14-2	Detroit
1934	Chicago Bears	L, 19-16	Detroit

Memorable Thanksgiving Moments for the Detroit Lions

The famous Lions Thanksgiving moment came in 1998 when Detroit's own Jerome Bettis called the overtime coin flip for his Pittsburgh Steelers. As the Hall of Famer was at midfield, he appeared to call tails, but the referee heard heads. The coin landed on tails which gave the Lions the ball to start OT. They went on to win the game on a field goal from Jason Hanson, 19-16.

A more recent memeroble moment came during the Lions losing streak on Thanksgiving Day from 2004-12. Against the Houston Texans, then-Lions head coach Jim Schwartz challenged on an 81-yard touchdown run from Justin Forsett. Forsett was clearly down and the touchdown should have been null and void. Since the play would have been reviewed automatically, Schwartz's challenge drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and removed the official review. The touchdown counted and the Lions lost 34–31 in overtime.

Thanksgiving Day Game Traditions and Fan Engagement

Lions football on Thanksgiving is a true holiday for Detroiters. The early start times bring fans to Detroit at the crack of dawn to tailgate. And in some cases, fans and players can even make it back home in time for Thanksgiving dinner and to view the other games.

The Lions have often sported their throwback blue and silver uniforms on Thanksgiving, complete with the solid silver helmet. In 2001–2004, and again in 2008, 2010, 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2023 the Lions have worn the classic throwbacks based on their very early years. In 2019 and 2022, Detroit wore their gray Color Rush uniforms. While their uniform selection for this year hasn't been released officially, the Lions will presumedly return to their throwback set.

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