The Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys have traditionally played on Thanksgiving Day in the NFL since 1934 and 1966, respectively

. The Lions' owner, George A. Richards, came up with the idea of playing football on Thanksgiving to attract more fans

. The Cowboys' general manager, Tex Schramm, later introduced the idea of playing on Thanksgiving to gain more national publicity for the team

. Since 2006, a third prime-time game has been played on Thanksgiving, and the division is no longer barred from participating in one of the afternoon games

. The tradition of the Lions and Cowboys playing on Thanksgiving has continued for decades, and it has become a constant tradition for millions of families across the country