Thanksgiving and the NFL have been intertwined since the league's inaugural season way back in 1920. Since then, the NFL has hosted games on Thanksgiving each year with the exception of a four-year span in the early 1940s due to America's involvement in World War II. Since 1934, the hosting a game has been a Thanksgiving Day tradition, with the following suit in 1966. Since then, all but two Thanksgivings have included games featuring both of these franchises.In 2006, the added a prime time game to its Thanksgiving slate, giving everyone one more game to
Carl Yastrzemski Jersey watch while enjoying either de sert or a second (or third) helping of stuffing, turkey, and mashed potatoes. The Bills and Lions will get things started at 12:30 p.m. ET, followed by the Giants and Cowboys at 4:30 p.m. ET. The night cap will be between the Patriots and , which will kick off at 8:20 p.m. ET.In preparation for Thursday's three games, here's look at the NFL's 10 most memorable Thanksgiving Day moments. The list includes several epic individual performances from some of the game's all-time great players. It also includes several not-so-great moments that have also stood the test of time.Fresh off of winning their first championship under Vince Lombardi, the '62 won their first 10 games that included a 9-7 nail-biter against the Lions -- the focus of Lombardi's 1962 book, " ." The Packers weren't as fortunate in their Thanksgiving rematch with Detroit, however, as Milt Plum's two touchdown pa ses to Gail Cogdill gave the Lions an early 14-0 lead. Detroit's Hall of Fame defensive backfield duo of "Night Train" Lane and Dick LeBeau each recorded interceptions off Packers Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr, helping the Lions prevail, 26-14. NFL historians have noted that the Lions recorded at least 11 sacks (a stat that wasn't kept at the time) of Starr, including six by Roger Brown, who also sacked Starr in the end zone for a safety. The game is fondly remembered in Detroit as the The Lions would go 11-3 but would finish two games behind the Packers for the right to face
Dustin Pedroia Jersey the for the NFL title. Green Bay defeated the Giants in New York to claim their second consecutive championship.The Giants-Lions Thanksgiving Day game in 1982 was played during Week 4 of the NFL's strike-shortened season. With both teams deadlocked in a defensive grudge match, Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor, the reigning Defensive Player and Rookie of the Year, scored the game's only touchdown on a 97-yard interception return. And while they allowed Billy Sims to gash them for 114 yards on 26 carries, Taylor and his defensive teammates recorded three interceptions while holding the Lions to just 125 yards pa sing. Happy Thanksgiving! Throwback to when Lawrence Taylor had a 97 yard pick-six on Thanksgiving Day in
Andrew Benintendi Jersey 1982! Old-Time Buckets (@oldtimebuckets) Two decades after watching his childhood idol throw an NFL record 48 touchdown pa ses, broke Dan Marino's record by throwing 49 touchdowns during the 2004 season. Six of those touchdown pa ses came in the first three quarters of the ' 41-9 Thanksgiving Day win over the Lions. Manning threw three touchdowns apiece to Marvin Harrison and Brandon Stokley, while Hall of Fame running back Edgerrin James complemented Manning's pa sing with 105 rushing yards. Manning's performance tied Bob Griese's Thanksgiving Day record for touchdown pa ses that .Three years after becoming the first (and only) player in NFL history to rush for over 2,000 yards in a 14-game season, running back O.J. Simpson and two touchdowns (while averaging 9.4 yards per carry) against the Lions on Thanksgiving Day, 1976. Despite O.J.'s heroics, the Bills lost the game, 27-14.Led by Barry Sanders' 167 rushing yards and three touchdowns, the Lions rolled up nearly 500 total yards in a 55-20 win over the Bears in 1997. After their lead was cut to seven points in the third quarter, touchdown runs of 25 and 15 yards by Sanders helped Detroit win the game while keeping their playoff hopes alive. The game was one of many memorable performances that season for Sanders, who shared the league's MVP award with Brett Favre after rushing for 2,053 yards and leading the Lions to the postseason. Barry Sanders torched the Bears on Thanksgiving 22 years ago NFL on ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsNFL) Three catches, 163 yards, three touchdowns. That was Randy Mo s' Thanksgiving Day stat line against the Cowboys in 1998. A rookie, Mo s was motivated to show the Cowboys what they were mi sing after not selecting him in that year's draft. Mo s, who ended up catching an NFL rookie record 17 touchdown pa ses, undoubtedly proved his point after leading Minnesota to a 46-36 victory. Three catches. Three TDs.163 yards.Watch FEAST on Thanksgiving in 1998 with the full game on ! (via ) NFL (@NFL) The most famous comeback in Thanksgiving Day history belongs to Clint Longley, long-forgotten backup who was a rookie when he replaced a concu sed Roger Staubach in the second half of
Jim Rice Jersey Dallas' 1974 game against rival Washington. Trailing 16-3 in the third quarter, Longley's 35-yard touchdown pa s to Billy Joe Dupree gave the Cowboys life. Trailing by six with under a minute left, his 28-yard scoring strike to Drew Pearson gave Dallas an improbable 24-23 win.While Longley (whose career fizzled out shortly after he punched Staubach before the start of the '76 season) will forever be part of Cowboys Thanksgiving Day lore, an often overlooked storyline from that game was the performance of Washington running back Duane Thomas, a former star with the Cowboys who scored two touchdowns against his former team. Week 12, 1974 is going to kickoff the This is the Clint Longley game, he comes in during the 3rd quarter and leads the to 2 consecutive TDs. Old Time Football (@Ol_TimeFootball) Earlier in 1993, Cowboys defensive tackle Leon Lett had gained national fame after he committed one of the biggest blunders in history, as prevented the Cowboys from setting a Super Bowl record for points scored. Ten months later, with the Cowboys protecting a 14-13 lead over the on Thanksgiving, Lett committed another big mistake. After teammate Jimmie Johnson blocked
Johnny Pesky Jersey Pete Stoyanovich's game-winning field goal attempt, Lett decided to try to pick up the ball, which was spiraling on the snow-covered Texas Stadium turf. To the chagrin of Cowboys fans everywhere, Lett was unable to corral the slick pigskin, making it a live ball that was recovered by the Dolphins. Stoyanovich, with three seconds left, made his second field goal attempt, as the Dolphins left town with an improbable win. Miami Dolphins vs Dallas Cowboys (Thanksgiving Day 1993) Leon Lett No!!!!! Old Time Football (@Ol_TimeFootball) The lo s did not damage Dallas that much, as the Cowboys still claimed the No. 1 seed for the playoffs before succe sfully defending their Super Bowl title. Lett, a member of all three of the C
%20TPCC2.jpg)
