The NFL is big on festivities, and no festivity has a bigger tradition than the Thanksgiving games played each year. Two teams traditionally play every Thanksgiving - the Dallas Cowboys and the Detroit Lions.The Lions were the first team to host a NFL Thanksgiving game, and that was back in 1934. On that occasion, the Chicago Bears narrowly defeated the Lions in a 19-16 victory. It has now become a tradition honored by the NFL and American sports as a whole.32 years after the Lions hosted their first Thanksgiving game, the Dallas Cowboys joined the honorable tradition. They hosted the Cleveland Browns on Thanksgiving in 1966, where they trounced the Browns 26-14. Thus, the Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving game tradition began and it has been a staple of the league ever since (except in 1975 and 1977).It is also worth noting that the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears are frequent participants in Thanksgiving games. The Packers have played in 30 NFL Thanksgiving games while the Bears have participated in 36. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostWhy do the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions always play on Thanksgiving?The Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions always play on Thanksgiving because they were pioneers of the idea of the Thanksgiving game. Thanks to them, it became a thing. Thanksgiving is a time for families to bond, relax, relive good times, and now watch football. What better way to celebrate Thanksgiving than watching the Dallas Cowboys and the celebrated underdog, the Detroit Lions?What's more, the Lions had a network deal that set it apart, making Thanksgiving mean a lot more in the motor city. The only seasons Detroit did not play on Thanksgiving were between 1939-1944, during World War II. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostThanksgiving fixtures in the 2022 NFL seasonThis season features three Thanksgiving fixtures. The Buffalo Bills head to Detroit to face the Lions, the Cowboys host the New York Giants and the Minnesota Vikings host the New England Patriots.All 32 NFL franchise's records in Thanksgiving fixturesAlmost every NFL franchise has played a Thanksgiving matchup. Here are their records for the holiday staple:Arizona Cardinals, 6-15-2Atlanta Falcons, 1-3Baltimore Ravens, 2-0Buffalo Bills, 4-4-1Carolina Panthers, 1-0Chicago Bears, 19-15-2Cincinnati Bengals, 0-1Cleveland Browns, 0-3Dallas Cowboys, 31-21-1Denver Broncos, 4-7Detroit Lions, 37-42-2Green Bay Packers, 14-20-2Houston Texans, 2-0Indianapolis Colts, 2-1-1Jacksonville Jaguars, never played on ThanksgivingKansas City Chiefs, 5-5Los Angeles Chargers, 3-1Los Angeles Rams, 3-1Miami Dolphins, 5-2Minnesota Vikings, 6-2New England Patriots, 3-2New Orleans Saints, 3-0New York Giants, 7-5-3New York Jets, 4-4Las Vegas Raiders, 3-4Philadelphia Eagles, 6-1Pittsburgh Steelers, 2-6San Francisco 49ers, 2-2-1Seattle Seahawks, 2-2Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 0-1Tennessee Titans, 5-2Washington Commanders 4-8