One of Detroit's great sporting traditions isn't going anywhere. The Lions have hosted a game on Thanksgiving every year since 1934, barring a six-year pause due to World War II, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
"It’s uniquely Detroit," Lions president Rod Wood said Thursday on a panel at the Detroit Economic Club. "We have the parade, we have the game. It’s the only game on. It kind of kicks off the holiday season for the whole country. There was a push a few years ago to try to take it away from us and take it away from Dallas and move it around, but that never got serious legs. I think now it would never be considered to be taken away from us. The last two years it’s been the second highest-rated regular season game behind only the Dallas game that follows us in a little better time slot."
Lions-Packers last season and Lions-Bears in 2024 indeed drew the second highest TV ratings of those seasons, bested only by Cowboys-Chiefs last season and Cowboys-Giants in 2024. The Cowboys have hosted a Thanksgiving game every year since 1966, typically kicking off at 4:30 after the Lions' traditional start time of 12:30.
"It’s an unbelievable Detroit tradition," said Wood. "And I’ve talked to other teams who would be scared to death to have a game on Thanksgiving, fearing that no one would show up. Because think, if it’s not part of your DNA and you had a game in — pick a city, Nashville — would anybody show up on Thanksgiving? Whereas here, it’s precious to us, and our fans show up. And I’m very confident that we’re going to keep it forever."
Wood said the Lions are also "very happy with the entertainment aspects of (the game) the last couple years, last year having Jack White (as halftime performer) and Eminem (as halftime producer) blew the roof off.' Will be a tough act to follow this year, but we’re already working on some ideas."
Wood, who's stepping aside as Lions' president and CEO this year once the franchise identifies his successor, also touched on what he's proudest of over his 10-year tenure.
"I think the decision to hire Dan (Campbell) and Brad (Holmes) really changed the trajectory of the team," he said. "We took some criticism at the time, they were obviously not as well-known commodities then as they are now. Dan's press conference set a tone for who he is, and also led to a lot of criticism about him not being ready for primetime. So I’m very happy that I’ll leave that behind.
"And the thing I’ll never forget is that Rams playoff game. Three hours before kickoff the place was packed, and (Matthew) Stafford runs on the field and 50,000 people are chanting ‘Jared Goff.’ Which was a moment that has kind of continued. People do it all over town now. And then the way that game ended, with us getting the first down to clinch it, it was a night that I’ll never forget."
