The Lions and Thanksgiving is a tradition that goes back decades. But starting next season, it’s going to change -- slightly.
The Lions annual Thanksgiving Day game in Detroit has kicked off at 12:30 p.m. for as long as anyone can remember. Starting in 2025, that kickoff time will be pushed to 1 p.m., a more typical NFL kickoff time.
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It’s not a huge shock, with NFL commission Roger Goodell hinting at the change on ESPN last month.
The NFL schedule will officially be released on Wednesday night, but leaks have taken over the internet, per usual. One of those reports has the Packers visiting Detroit for the holiday matchup at Ford Field.
In addition to Thanksgiving this year, the Lions will also play on Christmas Day -- traveling to Minnesota for a game that will stream on Netflix.
The Lions Thanksgiving tradition dates back to when they were the Portsmouth Spartans back in 1929. In 1934, owner George Richards bought the team and moved it to Detroit.
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The Lions, at that time, were looking for new ways to draw fans. As a marketing idea, Richards convinced NBC to broadcast a Thanksgiving game on 94 stations across the country.
It worked. The Lions would end up selling out their first Thanksgiving Day game (26,000 seats), and even though they lost to the Bears, a new tradition was born.
