DETROIT, Mich. — Two football teams that can be heard during every Thanksgiving are the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys.

As families work in the kitchen to prepare the turkey and all the delicious side dishes for the big Thanksgiving meal, that exact combination is most likely playing in the background on the television or radio.

So why do the Lions and Cowboys play every Thanksgiving? Here’s the full history.

Why do the Lions and Cowboys play every Thanksgiving?

In 1934, Detroit radio executive George A. Richards purchased the Portsmouth Spartans, moved the team to Detroit and renamed them the Lions, according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

In an effort to attract fans during the team’s first season in the Motor City, Richards scheduled a Thanksgiving game against the Chicago Bears. He partnered with NBC Radio to create a network of 94 stations to broadcast the game.

There was a lot of intrigue before the game at University of Detroit Stadium. According to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, all 26,000 tickets had been sold two weeks prior to the game, and an estimated additional 25,000 had more seats been available.

The Bears defeated the Lions 19-16. The two teams met again on Thanksgiving during the 1935 season and Detroit got revenge, winning by a final score of 14-2.

The Lions have played a Thanksgiving game every year since, with the exception of a six-season hiatus from 1939-1944 during World War II.

When was the first Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving game?

Meanwhile, the Dallas tradition began in 1966 with a game broadcast on CBS. General manager Tex Schramm wanted more national fame. The Cowboys played the Cleveland Browns in the Cotton Bowl in front of 80,000 people and won 26–14.

The Cowboys made the playoffs 18 of the next 20 seasons, won two Super Bowls during that period (in 1971 and 1977) and quickly gained popularity across the country.

Dallas has played on Thanksgiving every year since 1966, with the exception of 1975 and 1977, when the St. Louis Cardinals took their place.

When was the first Cowboys-Lions Thanksgiving game?

The teams have actually never faced each other on Thanksgiving Day. They are both reliable and long-term hosts during the holidays, so unless one of the teams agrees to travel that fourth Thursday in November, they are locked in a situation where they will never compete against each other during the holidays.

Who won the most Thanksgiving games between the Lions and Cowboys?

The Lions have the most wins and the most losses of any NFL team playing on Thanksgiving. The team has a record of 37-45-2, according to ESPN, and hasn’t won during the holidays since 2016, when they defeated the Minnesota Vikings.

The Cowboys have a record of 33-22-1 and have won their past two turkey day games.

Who will the Lions and Cowboys play this year?

The Lions (10-1), who have won nine straight games, host the Chicago Bears (4-7) in an NFC North battle at 12:30 p.m. Shaboozey will perform at Ford Field at halftime.

The Cowboys (4-7) will look to keep the momentum from Sunday’s win over the Washington Commanders as they host the New York Giants (2-9) at 4:30 p.m. Country artist Lainey Wilson will perform at AT&T Stadium during halftime.

Eric Henderson contributed to this report.