The Lions have been playing on Thanksgiving since 1934.

The Detroit Lions are one of the NFL’s oldest franchises, having been established in 1930. The team is also unique in that it has a large fanbase spread across two countries, the United States and Canada. While the team has had its fair share of struggles, it is also known for its incredibly loyal fan base, which is something to be proud of. The team has a few interesting quirks that are worth looking into.

Why do the lions play on Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving Day games were first introduced by George Preston Marshall in 1934. At this time, Marshall was president of the Boston Redskins and wanted to introduce a new tradition for his franchise. He decided to schedule a game against the Lions for Thanksgiving Day after seeing how well attended the day’s games were by other teams.

What was George Preston Marshall like?

“George Preston Marshall was an NFL owner who helped grow professional football during his time as president of the Boston Redskins from 1932 to 1959. He is often credited with introducing Washington D.C.’s annual Turkey Day game.” (via Biography)