Detroit Lions players, quarterback Jared Goff (16) wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) and running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26) enjoy turkey legs after their win over the Chicago Bears at Ford Field in Detroit on Nov. 28, 2024.

For the 85th time ever and the 80th year in a row, the Detroit Lions are playing a game on Thanksgiving.

Football – and more specifically, Lions football – and the national holiday have become synonymous over the last several decades since the Lions played their first Thanksgiving game in 1934. But just because the Lions have historically played on Thanksgiving, it doesn't mean they've historically won.

Over the 10 decades the Lions have hosted a game on Thanksgiving, they've more often than not been the losers. Last year's tight win over the Chicago Bears was the first time since 2016 the Lions were victorious on Turkey Day – finally giving the team and its fans good reason to be truly thankful.

Here's what to know about the Lions' storied history on Thanksgiving, from how the tradition started to results from each game:

Why do the Detroit Lions play every Thanksgiving?

Former Lions owner George A. Richards purchased the team – then known as the Portsmouth (Ohio) Spartans – in 1934, moved the team to Detroit and renamed it the Lions.

Richards, a radio executive, negotiated a rights deal with NBC to broadcast a national Thanksgiving game on the radio every year and convinced Bears owner George Halas to have Chicago play as the Lions' opponent. Halas and the Bears agreed, and the Bears were the Lions' Thanksgiving opponent for five straight years to begin the tradition.

The first Thanksgiving NFL game drew a crowd of 25,000 attendees, according to Pro Football Reference, which was the most at any Lions home game in their inaugural year in Detroit. At the same time, fans across the country were able to listen in on the radio via NBC.

The rest is history, and the Lions now play in the earliest of three Thanksgiving games each year.

What's the Lions' overall Thanksgiving record?

The Lions are 38-45-2 all-time on Thanksgiving.

The Lions lost seven straight games on the national holiday before their win over the Bears in 2024 (2017-2023), which marks the second-longest losing streak in franchise history. Detroit's longest Thanksgiving losing streak was nine games from 2004-2012.

Detroit Lions' Thanksgiving results, by year

  • 1934: vs. Chicago Bears L, 19-16
  • 1935: vs. Chicago Bears W, 14-2
  • 1936: vs. Chicago Bears W, 13-7
  • 1937: vs. Chicago Bears L, 13-0
  • 1938: vs. Chicago Bears W, 14-7
  • 1945: vs. Cleveland Rams L, 28-21
  • 1946: vs. Boston Yanks L, 34-10
  • 1947: vs. Chicago Bears L, 34-14
  • 1948: vs. Chicago Cards L, 28-14
  • 1949: vs. Chicago Bears L, 28-7
  • 1950: vs. New York Yanks W, 49-14
  • 1951: vs. Green Bay Packers W, 52-35
  • 1952: vs. Green Bay Packers W, 48-24
  • 1953: vs. Green Bay Packers W, 34-15
  • 1954: vs. Green Bay Packers W, 28-24
  • 1955: vs. Green Bay Packers W, 24-10
  • 1956: vs. Green Bay Packers L, 24-20
  • 1957: vs. Green Bay Packers W, 18-6
  • 1958: vs. Green Bay Packers W, 24-14
  • 1959: vs. Green Bay Packers L, 24-17
  • 1960: vs. Green Bay Packers W, 23-10
  • 1961: vs. Green Bay Packers L, 17-9
  • 1962: vs. Green Bay Packers W, 26-14
  • 1963: vs. Green Bay Packers T, 13-13
  • 1964: vs. Chicago Bears L, 27-24
  • 1965: vs. Baltimore Colts T, 24-24
  • 1966: vs. San Francisco 49ers L, 41-14
  • 1967: vs. Los Angeles Rams L, 31-7
  • 1968: vs. Philadelphia Eagles L, 12-0
  • 1969: vs. Minnesota Vikings L, 27-0
  • 1970: vs. Oakland Raiders W, 28-14
  • 1971: vs. Kansas City Chiefs W, 32-21
  • 1972: vs. New York Jets W, 37-20
  • 1973: vs. Washington L, 20-0
  • 1974: vs. Denver Broncos L, 31-27
  • 1975: vs. Los Angeles Rams L, 20-0
  • 1976: vs. Buffalo Bills W, 27-14
  • 1977: vs. Chicago Bears L, 31-14
  • 1978: vs. Denver Broncos W, 17-14
  • 1979: vs. Chicago Bears W, 20-0
  • 1980: vs. Chicago Bears L, 23-17 (OT)
  • 1981: vs. Kansas City Chiefs W, 27-10
  • 1982: vs. New York Giants L, 13-6
  • 1983: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers W, 45-3
  • 1984: vs. Green Bay Packers W, 31-28
  • 1985: vs. New York Jets W, 31-20
  • 1986: vs. Green Bay Packers L, 44-40
  • 1987: vs. Kansas City Chiefs L, 27-20
  • 1988: vs. Minnesota Vikings L, 23-0
  • 1989: vs. Cleveland Browns W, 13-10
  • 1990: vs. Denver Broncos W, 40-27
  • 1991: vs. Chicago Bears W, 16-6
  • 1992: vs. Houston Oilers L, 24-21
  • 1993: vs. Chicago Bears L, 10-6
  • 1994: vs. Buffalo Bills W, 35-21
  • 1995: vs. Minnesota Vikings W, 44-38
  • 1996: vs. Kansas City Chiefs L, 28-24
  • 1997: vs. Chicago Bears W, 55-20
  • 1998: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers W, 19-16 (OT)
  • 1999: vs. Chicago Bears W, 21-17
  • 2000: vs. New England Patriots W, 34-9
  • 2001: vs. Green Bay Packers L, 29-27
  • 2002: vs. New England Patriots L, 20-12
  • 2003: vs. Green Bay Packers W, 22-14
  • 2004: vs. Indianapolis Colts L, 41-9
  • 2005: vs. Atlanta Falcons L, 27-7
  • 2006: vs. Miami Dolphins L, 27-10
  • 2007: vs. Green Bay Packers L, 37-26
  • 2008: vs. Tennessee Titans L, 47-10
  • 2009: vs. Green Bay Packers L, 34-12
  • 2010: vs. New England Patriots L, 45-24
  • 2011: vs. Green Bay Packers L, 27-15
  • 2012: vs. Houston Texans L, 34-31 (OT)
  • 2013: vs. Green Bay Packers W, 40-10
  • 2014: vs. Chicago Bears W, 34-17
  • 2015: vs. Philadelphia Eagles W, 45-14
  • 2016: vs. Minnesota Vikings W, 16-13
  • 2017: vs. Minnesota Vikings L, 30-23
  • 2018: vs. Chicago Bears L, 23-16
  • 2019: vs. Chicago Bears L, 24-20
  • 2020: vs. Houston Texans L, 41-25
  • 2021: vs. Chicago Bears L, 16-14
  • 2022: vs. Buffalo Bills L, 28-25
  • 2023: vs. Green Bay Packers L, 29-22
  • 2024: vs. Chicago Bears W, 23-20

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What is Detroit Lions' Thanksgiving Day record? All-time results, history on Turkey Day

Reporting by Jack McKessy, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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