Everything you need to know about the Packers’ Thanksgiving game
Are you ready for some football? Pair the Packers game with a hearty spread of turkey, mashed potatoes, and pie for a terrific Thanksgiving Day celebration.
For the 38th time in franchise history, the Green Bay Packers will play on Thanksgiving. The team is in the midst of a solid season and will look to gain some ground in both the conference and division.
Before you settle into your stretchy pants and grab a plate or five, here’s everything to know about this Thanksgiving’s Packers game.
What time is the Packers’ Thanksgiving game?
The Green Bay Packers game is the earliest matchup on Thanksgiving Day. They’ll travel to Michigan to take on the Detroit Lions, giving us another game in the NFC North rivalry.
This game will kick off at 1 pm EDT, 12 pm CST on November 27. If you play fantasy football, be sure to set your rosters early, as three games are happening throughout the day.
How can I watch the Packers’ Thanksgiving game?
Tune into Fox for the latest installment of the Lions-Packers rivalry. The network hasn’t announced its broadcasters yet, though we can almost certainly expect the top crew of Kevin Burkhardt, Tom Brady, Erin Andrews, and Tom Rinaldi to return.
If you prefer to listen to your football, the Westwood One Radio network will also broadcast all of the games on Thanksgiving Day.
How are the Packers doing this year?
Pretty darn well, though they’ve had a couple of dud performances. The Packers had only one loss in their first seven games and held the best record in the NFC heading into Week 9, the halfway point of the season. Yet they’re coming off a home defeat against the Carolina Panthers, a game that could have implications on playoff seeding later this year. Their other loss is against the Cleveland Browns, who have proven to be one of the worst teams in the NFL. Green Bay also ended in a tie against the Dallas Cowboys in a game that was one second away from becoming another Green Bay loss.
The Packers already beat Detroit, their Thanksgiving opponent, back in the first week of the season. That game was at home, though, and you can bet the Lions’ home crowd will be rocking. As the earliest game, those fans won’t have had enough time to fall into a sleepy daze from overeating.
Coincidentally, as of this writing, the Packers have scored 27 points in four of their five wins. That’s not really relevant here, but if you need to steer the Thanksgiving conversation away from politics or another sensitive subject, you can toss out that fun fact.
How many times have the Packers played on Thanksgiving?
The Packers have played a whopping 37 times on Thanksgiving Day. This game will be number 38, which will put them ahead of the Chicago Bears as the third-most frequent team to play on Turkey Day. To date, Green Bay’s record is 15-20-2 on Thanksgiving.
From 1951 to 1963—a timeframe spanning four different U.S. Presidents!—the Packers played the Lions every year on Thanksgiving. The two teams wouldn’t meet again on Thanksgiving until 1984, a 31-28 Lions victory.
This year marks the third consecutive year the Packers have played on Thanksgiving, and the team is riding a bit of a hot streak. The Packers defeated the Lions 29-22 in 2023 and beat the Miami Dolphins 30-17 last Thanksgiving.
I know very little about football. Who should I watch for in this game?
Identifying offensive players is usually easier, so knowing the team’s primary weapons on that side of the ball is a great start. Quarterback Jordan Love (#10) is the only player who’s thrown a pass for the Packers this season. You can at least utter something goofy, like, “I love Love!” when the Pack makes a big play.
Running back Josh Jacobs (#8) is the main guy out of the backfield. He’s joined by a pair of receivers with cool names, Romeo Doubs (#87) and Matthew Golden (#0). Both were born in 2000 or later, which is probably a good enough reminder to sit out the backyard football game this Thanksgiving. Christian Watson (#9) missed the start of the season with an injury, though he’s put up good numbers since his return.
Tight end Tucker Kraft (#85) was one of the top tight ends in the league in both yardage and touchdowns when he suffered a season-ending injury earlier this month. He might be on the sidelines during the game, cheering the team on. Coincidentally, Watson attended college at North Dakota State, while Kraft went to South Dakota State—again, if you need some talking points during breaks in the action.
Defensively, the Packers have a pair of excellent defensive ends in Rashan Gary (#52) and Micah Parsons (#1), both of whom are in the top ten in the NFL in sacks. Green Bay acquired Parsons in a trade with the Dallas Cowboys just before the season, and he’s already proven quite valuable. The Packers have only forced five turnovers all season; safeties Xavier McKinney (#29) and Evan Williams (#33) have four of them, notching a combined three interceptions and a fumble recovery.
What do the winning teams on Thanksgiving get?
There have been football games on Thanksgiving since 1934, but it wasn’t until 1989 that the best players in the game were rewarded with a post-game treat. Broadcaster John Madden presented a turkey leg to Reggie White of the Philadelphia Eagles (White later became a legend on the Packers) after he led a dominating defensive performance in a 27-0 shutout of the Dallas Cowboys.
The tradition continued, with the television production team using wooden skewers to attach extra legs in case multiple players earned the special recognition. Madden stepped up his game in 1997 after discovering a turducken. This culinary achievement features chicken stuffed inside a boneless duck, both of which are then stuffed inside a turkey. You’re not alone if you just felt your waistline grow a size.
Some players don’t actually take a bite of the turkey, questioning how long it’s been sitting out, whether it’s way too dry or hot, or if it needs some extra seasoning. Still, being nominated to partake in the annual tradition is an honor.
We just hope the spread is more inviting at your Thanksgiving party. Enjoy the game!
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