5 Best NFL Thanksgiving Games of All Time

Thanksgiving is many people’s favorite time of year, most likely because of the annual NFL Thanksgiving Games. It’s been a tradition for decades that no other sport has adopted, and we’d like to share thanks for these games existing.

Thanksgiving NFL games only come around once a year, so grab your turkey and stuffing as we pick over the top 5 NFL Thanksgiving games of all time.

5. Packers 44 – Lions 40 (November 27, 1986)

This ancient Thanksgiving game between the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions was nothing other than exciting. With both teams reaching over 40 points, fans were sure to enjoy this typical Thanksgiving rivalry.

The Packers would start strong and head into the second half with a 3-point lead. The Lions, however, stole back the lead with 17 points in the 3rd quarter, compared to the Packers 7. Still, as history would have it, the Detroit Lions would lose in this Thanksgiving bout 44-40, with Green Bay tallying 2 touchdowns to seal the game at the end.

4. Vikings 30 – Lions 23 (November 23, 2017)

In a more recent Thanksgiving game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Thanksgiving veterans of the Detroit Lions, the Lions would once again suffer from the Thanksgiving Day curse.

In the first quarter alone, the Vikings would put up a 13-point lead, and although they would only score two more touchdowns and a field goal throughout the rest of the game, Minnesota easily held the lead the entire match. Unfortunately for the Lions, they would lose their playoff chances, and the Vikings would finish their regular season 9-2.

3. Lions 55 – Bears 20 (November 27, 1997)

The Detroit Lions will take this victory on November 27, 1997, against the Chicago Bears with pride, as not only would they come out of a Thanksgiving Day game victorious, but it’d be a total blowout as well.

With 55 points scored for Detroit throughout the game, this would become the highest-scoring Thanksgiving Day game for one team ever. Considering the Lions never really had true success on Thanksgiving Day, they’d take this one under their belt without many complaints.

2. Ravens 22 – Steelers 20 (November 28, 2013)

The Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers were 5-6 heading into this match, making it a heated showdown with major playoff ramifications. Justin Tucker fans may remember this one well, as he’d make 5 field goals for the Ravens, giving the Steelers a final touchdown ultimatum.

The Steelers scored a touchdown late in the game but needed a 2-point conversion to get to overtime. Unfortunately for the Steelers, they’d fail to achieve their .500 status by the end of this one, as Justin Tucker and Baltimore would barely escape out of this one victorious.

1. Cowboys 20 – Dolphins 19 (November 24, 2011)

One of the closest score lines in Thanksgiving Day football history was the November 24, 2011, matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins. It also makes the top of our list for the greatest ever holiday match-ups!

Cowboy fans will cherish this one, as while most of the game was back-and-forth field goals, Dallas’s Dan Bailey took the game-winning field goal as the time on the clock expired to give the Cowboys a victory at home. When it comes to crazy surprise endings, you won’t find a more exciting NFL Thanksgiving Day game that ends like that.