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!
The late, great NFL coach and broadcaster John Madden loved turkey. In fact, he loved it so much that he was largely responsible for introducing turduckens to the world.
What Is a Turducken?
A turducken is a dish that combines three great proteins into one. It is made when you stuff a deboned chicken into a deboned duck into a deboned turkey.
Traditionally, there are layers of stuffing in between each bird, completing the culinary masterpiece that many enjoy this time each year.
Who Invented Turducken?
This question sparks debate within the culinary world, as two people claim ownership of the creation.
Chef Paul Prudhomme claims that he invented it in the 1970s. However, Hebert’s Specialty Meats in Maurice, Louisiana, claims that they invented it in 1985 after a customer requested the creation.
It’s unclear who actually invented the dish, but one thing is certain: Madden was the one who popularized it and made the turducken part of the zeitgeist.
John Madden Popularized Turducken
Madden was first introduced to the culinary wonder during a game between the St. Louis Rams and New Orleans Saints in 1996. After the majestic beast was brought to the booth, Madden sampled it and instantly fell in love with the creation.
From that point on, Madden made it a trademark of his and would often mention it during broadcasts, especially around the Thanksgiving holiday.
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The turducken craze took on a life of its own, thanks in large part to Madden and the NFL broadcasts. The dish has become a talking point and cultural staple during NFL Thanksgiving broadcasts ever since.
2025 NFL Thanksgiving Games Schedule
The NFL has played games on Thanksgiving Day since the league’s inception in 1920, meaning this tradition dates back more than 100 years. 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.
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.
