The concept of American football games being played on Thanksgiving Day dates back to 1876, shortly after the game had been invented, as it was a day that most people had off from work. In 2022, the NFL branded the Thanksgiving Day games as the John Madden Thanksgiving Celebration, to honor the memory of head coach and broadcaster John Madden. Unlike the afternoon games, this game has no fixed teams. Since 2006, a third prime time game has also been played on Thanksgiving. The NFL's Thanksgiving Day games have traditionally included one game hosted by the Detroit Lions since 1934, and one game hosted by the Dallas Cowboys since 1966 (with two exceptions in 19).
Since its inception in 1920, the National Football League (NFL) has played games on Thanksgiving Day, patterned upon the historic playing of college football games on and around the Thanksgiving holiday. The NFL Thanksgiving logo used for 2016 the year is updated annually, with the new NFL shield being used for the first time in 2008. For the black college football rivalry, see Turkey Day Classic. For the Canadian Football League games, see Thanksgiving Day Classic.
