Detroit Lions To Kick Off at 1 p.m. on Thanksgiving

Lions will now kick off at 1 p.m. on Thanksgiving.

Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16), defensive tackle DJ Reader (98), wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14), running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26) and linebacker Al-Quadin Muhammad (69) celebrate their win against the Bears with a turkey drumstick Thanksgiving Day in Detroit. | Kimberly P. Mitchell / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions’ 12:30 p.m. (EST) start time on Thanksgiving is no longer.

As announced by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on The Pat McAfee Show April 25, the Lions’ annual Thanksgiving game will kick off at 1 p.m. this year instead of at its usual start time of 12:30. 

The break in tradition comes as a result of the NFL's intent to make Thanksgiving Day more like a traditional NFL Sunday, with games at 1 p.m., 4:25 p.m. and in primetime. On an annual basis, the Dallas Cowboys host the second game of the multi-billion-dollar league's Thanksgiving tripleheader.

The Lions have hosted on Thanksgiving each year since 1934, excluding a six-year stretch which was a result of World War II (1939-1944). Detroit owns a 38-45-2 overall record on the holiday, having beaten the Chicago Bears, 23-20, in its most recent Thanksgiving tilt a year ago.

The 2024 rendition of the contest featured a crazy ending. As time expired, Bears quarterback Caleb Williams threw an incomplete pass from the Lions’ 41-yard line, after being sacked on the previous play with about 30 seconds remaining. Following the Williams sack, Chicago – still equipped with one timeout at the time – failed to snap the ball again until about 0:06. It was an egregious mismanagement of the game clock, and it resulted in the dismissal of then-Bears head coach Matt Eberflus the very next day.

Prior to last year's triumph over the Bears, the Lions hadn't won on Thanksgiving since 2016. That victory – of the 16-13 variety – came against the Minnesota Vikings, with Matthew Stafford leading the way under center for Detroit.

The now Jared Goff-led Lions will find out their Thanksgiving Day opponent for this fall on May 14, the night of the NFL's official schedule reveal.