When it comes to Thanksgiving Day, the turkey is the star of the show. There are many great sides and desserts, but they call the holiday Turkey Day for a reason!
For NFL players and teams that play on Thanksgiving, the turkey remains a significant focal point. The day’s highest honor is being handed the famous turkey leg after the game, as it signifies an excellent performance. But how did the Turkey Leg Award start?
The Origins of the NFL Turkey Leg Award
This all started with the late, great NFL coach and broadcaster John Madden.
During the 1989 Thanksgiving game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys, Madden decided that the MVP of the game should receive a huge turkey leg as an award.
The Eagles shut out the Cowboys 27-0 that day, and legendary Hall of Fame defensive end Reggie White was the first-ever recipient of the Turkey Leg Award.
From that point on, it became an annual tradition. If you have a great game, you’re more than likely going to take a nice big bite out of a turkey leg on national television. It has become a real honor to receive the Turkey Leg Award after a hard-fought game.
Who Won the Latest Turkey Leg?
In 2023, Jordan Love led the Green Bay Packers to a 29-22 win over the Detroit Lions, throwing for 268 yards, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions while also rushing for 39 yards. While Love was interviewed postgame, he didn’t receive a turkey leg.
However, the Packers quarterback was given two turkey legs by Hall of Famer LeRoy Butler in 2024. Love led Green Bay to a massive 30-17 win over the Miami Dolphins on Thanksgiving last year, and was rewarded for his performance.
2025 NFL Thanksgiving Games Schedule
The NFL has played games on Thanksgiving Day since the league’s inception in 1920, making this tradition more than 100 years old. This year, fans will have the opportunity to enjoy three exciting matchups. Here’s the complete schedule for the NFL Thanksgiving Games:
Game 1: Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions
- Time: 1:00 PM ET
- Channel: FOX
Game 2: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Dallas Cowboys
- Time: 4:30 PM ET
- Channel: CBS
Game 3: Cincinnati Bengals vs. Baltimore Ravens
- Time: 8:20 PM ET
- Channel: NBC/Peacock
The day kicks off with the Detroit Lions, a Thanksgiving tradition since 1934. Jared Goff and Co. will take on Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers.
MORE: 2026 NFL Mock Draft: Caleb Downs Lands in Cincinnati, Steelers Find a WR to Pair with D.K. Metcalf
Then, Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys will take center stage, a custom dating back to 1966. The Cowboys will face the Kansas City Chiefs in one of the most anticipated matchups of the week.
Finally, the evening game features a thrilling primetime showdown between the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals, rounding out a football-filled holiday.
Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions Preview
Green Bay Packers
Team:Â The Packers are playing on Thanksgiving for the third straight year. Green Bay is 16-20-2 after beating the Dolphins and Lions the last two seasons.
QB: Jordan Love has two touchdown passes in the last four games after throwing 13 in the first seven games.
Offense: Romeo Doubs had 34 catches for 441 yards and four touchdowns on 6.5 targets per game in the first eight games. In the last three games, Doubs has caught seven passes for 81 yards and no touchdowns on 5.0 targets per game.
Defense: The Packers recorded the team’s best PFSN Defense Impact (DEFi) score since 2006. Since 2000, the 93.2 (A) against the Vikings in Week 12 is only behind a 93.8 (A) in Week 5 against the Lions in 2009 and 93.5 (A) against the Bears in the final game of the 2006 season.
Fantasy: Jordan Love has now thrown zero touchdowns in three of his last four games. Things should turn around against a Lions pass-funnel defense, which allows the seventh-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks.
Detroit Lions
Team:Â The Lions are 38-45-2 on Thanksgiving, including 12-9-1 against the Packers. Detroit beat Chicago last Thanksgiving to snap a seven-game losing streak on the holiday.
QB: Jared Goff has thrown for at least 275 passing yards in four of 11 games this season. He has 16 such games in 34 games in the previous two seasons.
Offense: The Lions are 3-2 in the last five games, and Jahmyr Gibbs’ performance in wins and losses is drastic. He has 218 yards from scrimmage per game with eight touchdowns in the three wins, while he’s had 174 total yards, 107 from scrimmage in the two games with no scores. 75 of the 174 yards came on two exceptions against the Eagles.
Defense: In Week 1 against the Packers, the Lions had a DEFi score of 68.6 (D+). It’s the third-worst score of the season.
Fantasy: After the Lions’ loss to the Eagles, head coach Dan Campbell said he wanted to get David Montgomery more carries. What he really wanted to do was win games. Naturally, Montgomery saw his second-lowest carry count of the season with five. Meanwhile, Gibbs posted the single best fantasy outing of any player at any position this season with 55.4 points on 26 touches, his highest total since Week 3.
