A marquee NFL Thanksgiving matchup in Arlington comes with a high-profile halftime stage and a familiar local storyline. As the Dallas Cowboys host the Kansas City Chiefs, the traditional Red Kettle Kickoff returns at the break with a Texas-born headliner whose ties to the Cowboys go beyond fandom.
Are the Cowboys Pairing Holiday Football With Post Malone’s Halftime Performance for the Red Kettle Drive?
The Cowboys’ Thanksgiving game features the annual Red Kettle Kickoff halftime performance, the centerpiece of the team’s long-standing partnership with the Salvation Army, which raises awareness and funds for the Organization.
This year’s show is set for the break between the Chiefs vs. Cowboys game at AT&T Stadium, continuing a modern Thanksgiving tradition in Dallas of pairing a primetime NFL showcase with a nationally recognized artist on the field.
The performance sits alongside the broader game presentation and fundraising drive that runs throughout the holiday broadcast. The day’s featured performer, Post Malone, has deep North Texas roots and a well-documented affinity for the franchise.
So, the Thanksgiving slot places the artist on the same stage previously held by major names and aligns with the team’s emphasis on community, spectacle, and holiday programming that complements the football.
For fans in the stadium and at home, halftime is designed to serve as both entertainment and a platform for awareness of the Red Kettle campaign.
Why Post Malone’s Local Ties Strengthen the Cowboys’ Thanksgiving Tradition?
Malone’s connection to the Cowboys is personal and local. He grew up in the area, and his father worked for the organization for 14 years in stadium operations.
That family tie and long-time fandom help explain the fit for Thanksgiving, when Dallas annually anchors the afternoon slate and spotlights the Salvation Army’s kickoff. The hometown angle returns the performer to a venue and team he followed growing up, adding a community thread to the holiday spectacle.
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Malone framed the opportunity in simple terms: “I’m from Texas. I grew up a Cowboys fan and have been watching this halftime show for years. It’s a real honor to be part of the Red Kettle Kickoff with The Salvation Army and the Dallas Cowboys and help bring hope to so many people.”
The statement aligns with the event’s charitable purpose, pairing a celebratory set with a holiday drive that has become an integral part of the franchise’s identity.
Thanksgiving in Dallas has regularly featured star performers, with recent years underscoring the team’s intent to blend football and entertainment into a single broadcast moment. The selection this season aligns with the city’s cultural footprint and the club’s emphasis on familiarity and local resonance, reinforcing a tradition that has grown alongside the game itself.
Chiefs-Cowboys Game Preview
Thanksgiving at AT&T Stadium features Kansas City (6-5) visiting Dallas (5-5-1) in a playoff-tilt spotlight. As of midweek, the Chiefs are favored by 3-3.5 points, with a total of around 52–52.5, suggesting an uptempo game with scoring on both sides. Kickoff is 4:30 p.m. ET on CBS, with Dallas staging the Red Kettle halftime show to anchor the broadcast’s middle frame.
Kansas City, fresh off a tight win, brings a top-five scoring defense and an offense led by Patrick Mahomes, who sits near the league lead in passing and remains dangerous inside.
Dallas just stormed back to beat Philadelphia and is 3–1–1 at home, leaning on George Pickens’ NFL‑No. 2 receiving yardage and red‑zone chemistry with Dak Prescott. Pickens has earned a 94.7 via PFSN’s Wide Receiver Impact (WRi) score since joining Dallas.
Matchups hinge on Mahomes versus a Cowboys unit allowing 28.5 points per game and over 250 passing yards, and on Pickens/CeeDee Lamb testing a Chiefs secondary that has held opponents below 200 passing yards per game.
The stakes, wild-card positioning, and conference tiebreaks align with the holiday window. With a hometown halftime headliner and the Salvation Army campaign in the break, the broadcast pairs prime entertainment with a marquee football stage.
What Is Post Malone’s Net Worth?
The net worth of Post Malone is $50 million, just below White. This is due to the rapper having a shorter career: his breakout happened in 2015 due to his single “White Iverson”, and he has produced many other famous songs, such as “Congratulations”, “Better Now”, and “Sunflower”.
He has won numerous awards and quickly rose to fame as one of the most prominent rappers of the past decade. He even mentioned former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo in his song “Psycho”, despite using Romo’s jersey number #9 as a reference to a handgun.
Post Malone will perform at AT&T Stadium during the halftime show of the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Dallas Cowboys.