Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16), defensive tackle DJ Reader (98), wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14), running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26), linebacker Al-Quadin Muhammad (69) celebrate their win against the Chicago Bears with a turkey drumstick.

There is a first time for everything.

That was the case about 404 years ago when the first Thanksgiving took place in Plymouth, Massachusetts. There was no luxury of modern technology, no oven to cook in, no television to be viewed and no phone to doom scroll on. Instead, it was just the joy of each other's company as everyone feasted.

At that point, the idea that the holiday would become commercialized and filled with football wasn't even close to becoming reality.

In fact, it would take 313 years for the sport of football to play its first Thanksgiving contest – during 1934 in Detroit.

Bing Crosby was at the top of music world, the Great Depression was ravaging the country, Franklin D. Roosevelt was President and Babe Ruth was in the midst of his final season as a New York Yankee.

In the Motor City, the Detroit Lions were looking to gain some traction in a town dominated by baseball's Tigers. Entered George A. Richards, who bought the Portsmouth Spartans and moved them to Detroit in 1934. The team would then become known as the Lions, but needed something to get the fans' attention.

So Richards went and scheduled a game on Thanksgiving against the defending champion Chicago Bears. Just like that, a tradition was born.

Here's what to know about the NFL's first Thanksgiving game.

When was the first NFL Thanksgiving game?

The Lions would play the Bears in the first ever Thanksgiving Day NFL game in 1934. The site would be the University of Detroit Stadium with 26,000 people in attendance, according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It's believed that more people would've attended if the stadium capacity was larger.

Detroit won the first Turkey Day contest by a score of 19-10, beginning a tradition that has withstood the test of time. While fads like the "Harlem Shake" and "Tebowing" came and went, the Lions have managed to weave themselves into Thanksgiving just as much as your mother's stuffing recipe.

The team's fans don't often feel in the holiday spirit on the holiday, however. In fact, the Lions experience on Thanksgiving typically resembles the feeling you get when the annoying family member arrives.

That wasn't the case in 2024, however, as the Lions triumphed to the tune of a 23-20 victory over the rival Bears. Now Detroit will look to start a winning streak, but they still have some work to do to get above .500 on Turkey Day.

NFL Thanksgiving records by team

While the Lions have the most Thanksgiving day appearances, all but one of the NFL's 32 teams have kicked off on Thanksgiving Day. Here's a breakdown of each team's record:

  • Arizona Cardinals: 6-15-2
  • Atlanta Falcons: 1-3
  • Baltimore Ravens: 2-0
  • Buffalo Bills: 6-4-1
  • Carolina Panthers: 1-0
  • Chicago Bears: 20-16-2
  • Cincinnati Bengals: 0-1
  • Cleveland Browns: 3-3
  • Dallas Cowboys: 34-22-1
  • Denver Broncos: 4-7
  • Detroit Lions: 38-45-2
  • Green Bay Packers: 16-20-2
  • Houston Texans: 2-0
  • Indianapolis Colts: 2-1-1
  • Jacksonville Jaguars: N/A
  • Kansas City Chiefs: 5-5
  • Las Vegas Raiders: 4-4
  • Los Angeles Chargers: 3-1-1
  • Los Angeles Rams: 4-1
  • Miami Dolphins: 5-3
  • Minnesota Vikings: 7-2
  • New England Patriots: 3-3
  • New Orleans Saints: 3-1
  • New York Giants: 7-7-3
  • New York Jets: 4-4
  • Philadelphia Eagles: 6-1
  • Pittsburgh Steelers: 2-6
  • San Francisco 49ers: 3-2-1
  • Seattle Seahawks: 2-3
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 0-1
  • Tennessee Titans: 5-2
  • Washington Commanders: 4-9

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When was the NFL first Thanksgiving game? What to know about football tradition

Reporting by Nick Brinkerhoff, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect