2023 Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday NFL Games: TV Channels, Schedule, and History

The calendar has turned to mid-November, meaning we are neating the return of a classic American tradition: NFL games on Thanksgiving Day.

This year, the NFL has added a special twist -- we'll also have a game on "Black Friday," the Friday following Thanksgiving. It's also a holiday for most, so the league will have another island game for all to enjoy.

Here's everything you need to know about the 2023 NFL Thanksgiving Day slate as well as 2023's inaugural Black Friday NFL contest.

NFL Thanksgiving Day 2023 Schedule and TV Channel

Keeping with tradition, there will be three NFL games on Thanksgiving Day in 2023. The date, of course, is Thursday, November 23.

In the first contest, the Green Bay Packers will visit the Detroit Lions. The afternoon game, as usual, will take place in Arlington as the Dallas Cowboys host the Washington Commanders. Finally, the nightcap will feature an NFC West clash between the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks.

Check out the full schedule and broadcast info below:

• 12:30 p.m. ET: Packers at Lions (FOX)
• 4:30 p.m. ET: Commanders at Cowboys (CBS)
• 8:20 p.m. ET: 49ers at Seahawks (NBC)

NFL Thanksgiving Day History

The NFL has played on Thanksgiving since its inception in 1920. The league hosted five games on November 25, 1920, in its very first year. The Akron Pros, Decatur Staleys, Dayton Triangles, Chicago Boosters and Tonawanda Kardex all notched wins that day while the Columbus Panhandles and Elyria Athletics tied.

From 1970 to 2005, the NFL played two games every Thanksgiving featuring three NFC teams and one AFC team. The league then added an additional third contest starting in 2006 to serve as a primetime nightcap. NBC has broadcast the final leg of the triple-header since 2012.

Though with minimal appearances, the Baltimore Ravens (2-0), Houston Texans (2-0) and Carolina Panthers (1-0) are the only teams with perfect records on Thanksgiving.

Which NFL Teams Always Play on Thanksgiving?

The Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys have been mainstays of the NFL's Thanksgiving schedule. Detroit became a regular in 1934 and, traditionally, hosts the first game of the slate. Dallas, meanwhile, became officially attached in 1966 and gets to play the afternoon contest at home.

As a result, no teams have played more games on Thanksgiving than the Lions (83) and Cowboys (55). Detroit owns a 37-44-2 all-time record on this holiday while Dallas has fared much better at 32-22-1.

As historical rivals of the Lions, the Chicago Bears (37 games played) and Green Bay Packers (36 games) are the next-closest squads in terms of Thanksgiving appearances. Interestingly, the Jacksonville Jaguars are the only team to never play on Thanksgiving Day.

2023 NFL Black Friday Game, Schedule, and TV Channel

In a new twist, the NFL will also hold a game on the Friday after Thanksgiving, which is known as "Black Friday" to many.

If you return home from shopping in time, the Miami Dolphins will visit the New York Jets at 3:00 p.m. ET on Friday, November 24th. The game will stream exclusively on Amazon Prime Video, which is the source for all other Thursday Night Football games played in 2023.

This figures to be a marquee spot for a divisional or high-profile matchup for the NFL moving forward.

Looking to add more fun to Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday football? Head over to FanDuel’s daily fantasy football lobby during the week of the games for different types of fantasy contests, and check out the Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday NFL odds and betting markets available at FanDuel Sportsbook.

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