America's Team always plays on Thanksgiving Day.
This year, the Cowboys (5-5-1) continue their holiday tradition against the Chiefs (6-5). Dallas is a Thanksgiving football fixture all the way back to 1966.
Dallas followed in the Detroit Lions' footsteps in playing at home each Turkey Day. The Lions have played on Thanksgiving each year since 1934, the only tradition with a longer-standing compared to the Cowboys.
The Cowboys have fared better than the Lions on Thanksgiving Day, however. Overall, Dallas is well above .500 on the holiday and is coming off a 27-20 win last year over the Giants. Now, the Cowboys are coming off a win over the Eagles last week and they hope to get out on a three-game winning streak with a good opportunity to do so when the Chiefs come to AT&T Stadium.
Here's everything you need to know about the Dallas Cowboys' Thanksgiving tradition:
The Cowboys’ Win-Loss Record on Thanksgiving: How Have They Fared?
The Dallas Cowboys' Thanksgiving Day tradition dates back to 1966. Their best stretch came in the 1980s when they won six straight games on Thanksgiving from 1980-85.
Overall, the Cowboys are 34-22-1 all-time in their Thanksgiving Day games. They have won their game two years in a row, which snapped a three-game losing streak from 2019-21. They snapped the losing streak against the Giants in 2022 and have now won three in a row on Turkey Day.
Dallas rattled off four wins in a row from 2006-09 before the Saints snapped the streak with a 30-27 win in 2010.
The Cowboys' Year-by-Year Thanksgiving Game Results
Dallas has played on Thanksgiving annually since they began their tradition of hosting games in 1966. There are only two years, 1975 and 1977, where Dallas didn't play on Thanksgiving. The NFL gave Thanksgiving games to the St. Louis Cardinals those years in an attempt to boost the franchise.
The Cowboys' 34-22-1 record on Turkey Day is better than the Lions, who have played on Thanksgiving since 1934. The Lions are 38-45-2 all-time on Thanksgiving.
The Cowboys are on a three-year Thanksgiving heater. Before, they dropped three in a row from 2019-21.
Here is Dallas' year-by-year results since their Thanksgiving game tradition began:
Year
Opponent
Result
Location
2024
New York Giants
W, 27-20
Dallas
2023
Washington Commanders
W, 45-10
Dallas
2022
New York Giants
W, 28-20
Dallas
2021
Las Vegas Raiders
L, 36-33
Dallas
2020
Washington Football Team
L, 41-16
Dallas
2019
Buffalo Bills
L, 26-15
Dallas
2018
Washington Redskins
W, 31-23
Dallas
2017
Los Angeles Chargers
L, 28-6
Dallas
2016
Washington Redskins
W, 31-26
Dallas
2015
Carolina Panthers
L, 33-14
Dallas
2014
Philadelphia Eagles
L, 33-10
Dallas
2013
Oakland Raiders
W, 31-24
Dallas
2012
Washington Redskins
L, 38-31
Dallas
2011
Miami Dolphins
W, 20-19
Dallas
2010
New Orleans Saints
L, 30-27
Dallas
2009
Oakland Raiders
W, 24-7
Dallas
2008
Seattle Seahawks
W, 34-9
Dallas
2007
New York Jets
W, 34-3
Dallas
2006
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
W, 38-10
Dallas
2005
Denver Broncos
L, 24-21 (OT)
Dallas
2004
Chicago Bears
W, 21-7
Dallas
2003
Miami Dolphins
L, 40-21
Dallas
2002
Washington Redskins
W, 27-20
Dallas
2001
Denver Broncos
L, 26-24
Dallas
2000
Minnesota Vikings
L, 27-15
Dallas
1999
Miami Dolphins
W, 20-0
Dallas
1998
Minnesota Vikings
L, 46-36
Dallas
1997
Tennessee Titans
L, 27-14
Dallas
1996
Washington Redskins
W, 21-10
Dallas
1995
Kansas City Chiefs
W, 24-12
Dallas
1994
Green Bay Packers
W, 42-31
Dallas
1993
Miami Dolphins
L, 16-14
Dallas
1992
New York Giants
W, 30-3
Dallas
1991
Pittsburgh Steelers
W, 20-10
Dallas
1990
Washington Redskins
W, 27-17
Dallas
1989
Philadelphia Eagles
L, 27-0
Dallas
1988
Houston Oilers
L, 25-17
Dallas
1987
Minnesota Vikings
L, 44-38 (OT)
Dallas
1986
Seattle Seahawks
W, 31-14
Dallas
1985
St. Louis Cardinals
W, 35-17
Dallas
1984
New England Patriots
W, 20-17
Dallas
1983
St. Louis Cardinals
W, 35-17
Dallas
1982
Cleveland Browns
W, 31-14
Dallas
1981
Chicago Bears
W, 10-9
Dallas
1980
Seattle Seahawks
W, 51-7
Dallas
1979
Houston Oilers
L, 30-24
Dallas
1978
Washington Redskins
W, 37-10
Dallas
1976
St. Louis Cardinals
W, 19-14
Dallas
1974
Washington Redskins
W, 24-23
Dallas
1973
Miami Dolphins
L, 14-7
Dallas
1972
San Francisco 49ers
L, 31-10
Dallas
1971
Los Angeles Rams
W, 28-21
Dallas
1970
Green Bay Packers
W, 16-3
Dallas
1969
San Francisco 49ers
T, 24-24
Dallas
1968
Washington Redskins
W, 29-20
Dallas
1967
St. Louis Cardinals
W, 46-21
Dallas
1966
Cleveland Browns
W, 26-14
Dallas
Memorable Thanksgiving Moments for the Dallas Cowboys
In 1994, Cowboys starting quarterback Troy Aikman was injured which led to a start from third-string quarterback Jason Garrett, who went on to coach the team from 2011-19. Garrett led Dallas to a 42-31 win over the Green Bay Packers and Brett Favre.
The most memorable Thanksgiving moment for Dallas came just a year before, though. In a snow-filled game (yes, in Texas), the Cowboys blocked a late field goal attempt from the Miami Dolphins. The ball rolled through the snow and Dallas didn't want to touch the ball but Leon Lett fell as he made a mistake trying to grab the ball, which thumped it forward and gave Miami the chance to recover it. The Dolphins then kicked a short field goal to win the game, 16-14.
Thanksgiving Day Game Traditions and Fan Engagement
America's Team is must-watch TV on Thanksgiving, frequently the most popular game of the day and one of the highest-rated games of the NFL season. That may change with the recent rise of the Lions, but the Cowboys' coveted mid-afternoon time slot should continue as a top-rated game on the year.
When the Cowboys started playing on Thanksgiving in the 1966 season, the team coincided the idea with a run of success that lasted into the '80s. The Cowboys set an attendance record of 80,259 and finished 10-3-1 in '66.
The Cowboys would go on to win two Super Bowls in the 1970s, launch the extremely popular Cowboys cheerleaders and develop a new face of the league in former Navy quarterback Roger Staubach. The Cowboys' golden era turned them into the country's most popular team, still dubbed as America's Team to this day.
Fans can continue to count on America's Team to put on a show as they sit for their Thanksgiving dinners.
