Top 5 NFL Thanksgiving games of all time feat. Cowboys vs. Dolphins in 1993

The NFL has a long-standing tradition of scheduling games on Thanksgiving Day, the last Thursday in November. The league's two constants on Thanksgiving are the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions.

In 1934, the Lions played their inaugural Turkey Day game, and in 1966, the Cowboys followed suit. Since then, both teams have been regulars, and four additional teams are chosen annually to complete the day's schedule.

The custom of Thanksgiving Day was born when the Lions' first proprietor decided to have a game on the holiday to draw people to their games. For various reasons, several Thanksgiving matchups have been memorable ever since.

Below, we have ranked what we think are the top five Thanksgiving Day games of all time.

Ranking the top five Thanksgiving Day games in the NFL

5) Kansas City Chiefs (19) vs. Denver Broncos (10) - 2006

Lamar Hunt, the Kansas City Chiefs' owner, successfully lobbied for the team to be given a Thanksgiving Day game that would air on the NFL Network in 2006.

When the Chiefs and Denver Broncos played at Arrowhead Stadium that year, it was the first Thanksgiving Day meeting between the two AFC West rivals. Additionally, it was the first Thanksgiving matchup between two AFC clubs.

The Chiefs defeated the Broncos 19-10 in that game, and they returned to the postseason that year after sitting out three seasons.

4) Miami Dolphins (55) vs. St. Louis Cardinals (14) - 1977

A few things make the 1977 Miami Dolphins vs. St. Louis Cardinals Thanksgiving Day matchup distinctive. It was only the second Thanksgiving afternoon matchup not hosted by the Cowboys or the Lions since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970.

The Dolphins scored 55 points in the game hosted by the St. Louis Cardinals. It also delivered what is still the highest-scoring performance by a single team on Thanksgiving.

With a 55-14 triumph, the Dolphins also recorded the biggest Thanksgiving sweep that day.

In that game, Hall of Fame quarterback Bob Griese recorded 207 passing yards and six touchdown passes, setting a franchise record.

3) Detroit Lions (19) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (16) - 1998

A coin toss is one part people rarely pay attention to in the NFL, yet 26 years later, it's what makes the Thanksgiving Day game between the Detroit Lions and Pittsburgh Steelers so memorable.

Before the contest entered overtime, referee Phil Luckett asked Steelers running back Jerome Bettis to choose either heads or tails with the score at 16-16 after regulation. The referee reportedly heard heads when Bettis called tails.

Due to the error, the Lions were able to take the ball first in overtime and went on to beat the Steelers 19-16.

2) Minnesota Vikings (46) vs. Dallas Cowboys (36) - 1998

Randy Moss made his NFL debut in 1998 as a tall yet rapid rookie, and he soon rose to prominence as one of the league's top wide receivers. In his rookie season, he caught 69 passes for 1,313 yards and 17 touchdowns for the Minnesota Vikings, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year.

However, the game Moss used to announce himself to the whole country was against the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day in 1998. In that contest, he only managed three catches but made the most of them, hauling in 163 yards and three touchdowns.

The Vikings eventually ran out as winners, beating the Cowboys by a score of 46-36.

1) Miami Dolphins (16) vs. Dallas Cowboys (14) - 1993

At a snow-covered Texas Stadium in 1993, the Miami Dolphins pulled off an unlikely win over the Cowboys in one of the most prominent Thanksgiving Day games in memory.

Early in the contest, both teams had trouble establishing a steady offensive rhythm, as the weather caused players to slip and slide around.

But the matchup ended in a dramatic way. In the last seconds of the fourth quarter, with the Dolphins down one point, they tried a 41-yard field goal, but it was blocked.

Suddenly, defensive tackle Leon Lett of the Dallas Cowboys tried to fall on the errant ball, but he slid and pushed it forward, which gave Dolphins’ center Jeff Dellenbach a chance to recover it with only three seconds left on the clock.

Subsequently, the Dolphins made a field goal from 18 yards to win 16-14.