What is Dallas Cowboys' Thanksgiving Day record? All-time results, history on Turkey DayJack McKessy, USA TODAYThu, November 27, 2025 at 10:30 AM UTC·4 min readIt makes plenty of sense that "America's Team" plays every year on American Thanksgiving, but it wasn't always that way.
The Dallas Cowboys' tradition of playing an annual game on Thanksgiving came after the Detroit Lions had laid claim to the holiday game. Detroit hosted its first Turkey Day game in 1934, and more than 30 years later, Dallas played its first Thanksgiving game on Nov. 24, 1966.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementUnlike their fellow annual hosts, the Cowboys have had plenty of success playing on Thanksgiving. Dallas has won more games than it has lost on the fourth Thursday of November and is riding a three-game win streak into the Nov. 27 clash with the reigning AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs.
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Detroit Lions players celebrate their 23-20 win against the Chicago Bears with a turkey drumstick at Ford Field on Nov. 28, 2024. The celebration was made possible by some highly questionable clock management by Bears head coach Matt Eberflus. A day later, Eberflus was fired by the Bears, the first in-season firing of a head coach in franchise history.
Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott poses with the Galloping Gobbler trophy after the win over Washington at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Nov 24, 2016. The Cowboys won the game, 31-26. Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott put on an offensive showcase.
During a Thanksgiving Day game in 2013, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin got into the action. The Baltimore Ravens' Jacoby Jones broke free on a kickoff return, but Tomlin stepped onto the field, causing Jones to avoid the Steelers coach along the sideline. Instead of a touchdown, Jones was tackled after a 73-yard return. The Ravens went on to win the game, 22-20.
New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez collides with the backside of lineman Brandon Moore and fumbles the ball. It was recovered and returned for a touchdown by the New England Patriots' Steve Gregory. The play was part of a disastrous sequence for the Jets, who lost three fumbles as the Patriots scored three touchdowns in 52 seconds. New England went on to win 49-19, and Sanchez's infamous moment from the 2012 game is known as "The Butt Fumble."
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo celebrates a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third quarter NFL action in Irving, Texas Nov. 23, 2006. In a breakout game, Romo threw for 306 yards and five TDs.
On his way to 49 touchdown passes for the season, Peyton Manning put six on the board in the Indianapolis Colts' masterful 41-9 win over the Detroit Lions. Manning went 23-of-28 for 236 yards and six touchdowns before being pulled near the end of third quarter in 2004.
Randy Moss added another tally to his incredible rookie year in in the Minnesota Vikings' 46-36 win over the Dallas Cowboys, catching three touchdown passes for 163 yards in 1998.
With the Detroit Lions and Pittsburgh Steelers headed to overtime, referee Phil Luckett's microphone caught Pittsburgh captain Jerome Bettis calling "tails" on the coin toss. Despite the toss coming up tails, Luckett claimed Detroit won the toss. The Lions opted to receive the kickoff and scored a field goal on the first possession to win the game in 1998.
Hall of Famer Barry Sanders ran for 167 yards and three touchdowns as the Detroit Lions obliterated the Chicago Bears, 55-20, in 1997. Sanders moved into second place on the NFL’s all-time rushing yardage list during the game.
The Dallas Cowboys' Leon Lett dives for a blocked fourth-quarter field goal attempt as Bert Weidner of the Miami Dolphins scrambles for the ball on Nov. 25, 1993, in Irving, Texas. The live ball was recovered by Jeff Dellenbach of the Dolphins. Miami kicker Pete Stoyanovich then made the winning 19-yard field goal as time expired giving the Dolphins a 16-14 victory.
Thanksgiving 1977 marks the last time that the Dallas Cowboys did not host a Thanksgiving Day game. Instead, the St. Louis Cardinals played the Miami Dolphins at Busch Stadium. Quarterback Bob Griese led the Dolphins to a dominating 55-10 win. A year later, the Cowboys were back in the Thanksgiving spotlight, a tradition the franchise hasn't relinquished since.
Buffalo Bills running back O.J. Simpson rushed for an NFL record 273 yards against the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving, Nov 25, 1976 in Pontiac, Michigan.
1 / 12From 'Butt Fumbles' to Barry Sanders: NFL’s Most unforgettable Thanksgiving moments
Detroit Lions players celebrate their 23-20 win against the Chicago Bears with a turkey drumstick at Ford Field on Nov. 28, 2024. The celebration was made possible by some highly questionable clock management by Bears head coach Matt Eberflus. A day later, Eberflus was fired by the Bears, the first in-season firing of a head coach in franchise history.
1 / 12From 'Butt Fumbles' to Barry Sanders: NFL’s Most unforgettable Thanksgiving moments
Detroit Lions players celebrate their 23-20 win against the Chicago Bears with a turkey drumstick at Ford Field on Nov. 28, 2024. The celebration was made possible by some highly questionable clock management by Bears head coach Matt Eberflus. A day later, Eberflus was fired by the Bears, the first in-season firing of a head coach in franchise history.
2 / 12From 'Butt Fumbles' to Barry Sanders: NFL’s Most unforgettable Thanksgiving moments
Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott poses with the Galloping Gobbler trophy after the win over Washington at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Nov 24, 2016. The Cowboys won the game, 31-26. Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott put on an offensive showcase.
3 / 12From 'Butt Fumbles' to Barry Sanders: NFL’s Most unforgettable Thanksgiving moments
During a Thanksgiving Day game in 2013, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin got into the action. The Baltimore Ravens' Jacoby Jones broke free on a kickoff return, but Tomlin stepped onto the field, causing Jones to avoid the Steelers coach along the sideline. Instead of a touchdown, Jones was tackled after a 73-yard return. The Ravens went on to win the game, 22-20.
4 / 12From 'Butt Fumbles' to Barry Sanders: NFL’s Most unforgettable Thanksgiving moments
New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez collides with the backside of lineman Brandon Moore and fumbles the ball. It was recovered and returned for a touchdown by the New England Patriots' Steve Gregory. The play was part of a disastrous sequence for the Jets, who lost three fumbles as the Patriots scored three touchdowns in 52 seconds. New England went on to win 49-19, and Sanchez's infamous moment from the 2012 game is known as "The Butt Fumble."
5 / 12From 'Butt Fumbles' to Barry Sanders: NFL’s Most unforgettable Thanksgiving moments
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo celebrates a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third quarter NFL action in Irving, Texas Nov. 23, 2006. In a breakout game, Romo threw for 306 yards and five TDs.
6 / 12From 'Butt Fumbles' to Barry Sanders: NFL’s Most unforgettable Thanksgiving moments
On his way to 49 touchdown passes for the season, Peyton Manning put six on the board in the Indianapolis Colts' masterful 41-9 win over the Detroit Lions. Manning went 23-of-28 for 236 yards and six touchdowns before being pulled near the end of third quarter in 2004.
7 / 12From 'Butt Fumbles' to Barry Sanders: NFL’s Most unforgettable Thanksgiving moments
Randy Moss added another tally to his incredible rookie year in in the Minnesota Vikings' 46-36 win over the Dallas Cowboys, catching three touchdown passes for 163 yards in 1998.
8 / 12From 'Butt Fumbles' to Barry Sanders: NFL’s Most unforgettable Thanksgiving moments
With the Detroit Lions and Pittsburgh Steelers headed to overtime, referee Phil Luckett's microphone caught Pittsburgh captain Jerome Bettis calling "tails" on the coin toss. Despite the toss coming up tails, Luckett claimed Detroit won the toss. The Lions opted to receive the kickoff and scored a field goal on the first possession to win the game in 1998.
9 / 12From 'Butt Fumbles' to Barry Sanders: NFL’s Most unforgettable Thanksgiving moments
Hall of Famer Barry Sanders ran for 167 yards and three touchdowns as the Detroit Lions obliterated the Chicago Bears, 55-20, in 1997. Sanders moved into second place on the NFL’s all-time rushing yardage list during the game.
10 / 12From 'Butt Fumbles' to Barry Sanders: NFL’s Most unforgettable Thanksgiving moments
The Dallas Cowboys' Leon Lett dives for a blocked fourth-quarter field goal attempt as Bert Weidner of the Miami Dolphins scrambles for the ball on Nov. 25, 1993, in Irving, Texas. The live ball was recovered by Jeff Dellenbach of the Dolphins. Miami kicker Pete Stoyanovich then made the winning 19-yard field goal as time expired giving the Dolphins a 16-14 victory.
11 / 12From 'Butt Fumbles' to Barry Sanders: NFL’s Most unforgettable Thanksgiving moments
Thanksgiving 1977 marks the last time that the Dallas Cowboys did not host a Thanksgiving Day game. Instead, the St. Louis Cardinals played the Miami Dolphins at Busch Stadium. Quarterback Bob Griese led the Dolphins to a dominating 55-10 win. A year later, the Cowboys were back in the Thanksgiving spotlight, a tradition the franchise hasn't relinquished since.12 / 12From 'Butt Fumbles' to Barry Sanders: NFL’s Most unforgettable Thanksgiving moments
Buffalo Bills running back O.J. Simpson rushed for an NFL record 273 yards against the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving, Nov 25, 1976 in Pontiac, Michigan.
Why do the Dallas Cowboys play every Thanksgiving?
According to the Dallas Morning News, former Cowboys team president Tex Schramm offered Dallas up to the NFL as a second site for an annual Thanksgiving game in 1966. Ever since then – with the exception of 1975 and 1977, when the St. Louis Cardinals hosted a Thanksgiving game instead – the Cowboys have played a game on Thanksgiving.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementEach year, the Cowboys' game is the second to kick off on Turkey Day after the Lions' game concludes. It immediately precedes the third Thanksgiving prime-time game the NFL added in 2006.
Dallas' meeting with the Chiefs on Thanksgiving this year will be the team's 58th game on the national holiday.
What's the Cowboys' overall Thanksgiving record?
The Cowboys are 34-22-1 all-time on Thanksgiving. That's the 12th-best record of any team on Turkey Day and the best of any team to have played at least 10 times on Thanksgiving.
Dallas' .605 winning percentage on Thanksgiving is also better than its overall win percentage as a franchise: .573.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDallas Cowboys' Thanksgiving results, by year
1966: vs. Cleveland Browns W, 26-14
1967: vs. St. Louis Cardinals W, 46-21
1968: vs. Washington W, 29-20
1969: vs. San Francisco 49ers T, 24-24
1970: vs. Green Bay Packers W, 16-3
1971: vs. Los Angeles Rams W, 28-21
1972: vs. San Francisco 49ers L, 31-10
1973: vs. Miami Dolphins L, 14-7
1974: vs. Washington W, 24-23
1976: vs. St. Louis Cardinals W, 19-14
1978: vs. Washington W, 37-10
1979: vs. Houston Oilers L, 30-24
1980: vs. Seattle Seahawks W, 51-7
1981: vs. Chicago Bears W, 10-9
1982: vs. Cleveland Browns W, 31-14
1983: vs. St. Louis Cardinals W, 35-17
1984: vs. New England Patriots W, 20-17
1985: vs. St. Louis Cardinals W, 35-17
1986: vs. Seattle Seahawks W, 31-14
1987: vs. Minnesota Vikings L, 44-38 (OT)
1988: vs. Houston Oilers L, 25-17
1989: vs. Philadelphia Eagles L, 27-0
1990: vs. Washington W, 27-17
1991: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers W, 20-10
1992: vs. New York Giants W, 30-3
1993: vs. Miami Dolphins L, 16-14
1994: vs. Green Bay Packers W, 42-31
1995: vs. Kansas City Chiefs W, 24-12
1996: vs. Washington W, 21-10
1997: vs. Tennessee Titans L, 27-14
1998: vs. Minnesota Vikings L, 46-36
1999: vs. Miami Dolphins W, 20-0
2000: vs. Minnesota Vikings L, 27-15
2001: vs. Denver Broncos L, 26-24
2002: vs. Washington W, 27-20
2003: vs. Miami Dolphins L, 40-21
2004: vs. Chicago Bears W, 21-7
2005: vs. Denver Broncos L, 24-21 (OT)
2006: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers W, 38-10
2007: vs. New York Jets W, 34-3
2008: vs. Seattle Seahawks W, 34-9
2009: vs. Oakland Raiders W, 24-7
2010: vs. New Orleans Saints L, 30-27
2011: vs. Miami Dolphins W, 20-19
2012: vs. Washington L, 38-31
2013: vs. Oakland Raiders W, 31-24
2014: vs. Philadelphia Eagles L, 33-10
2015: vs. Carolina Panthers L, 33-14
2016: vs. Washington W, 31-26
2017: vs. Los Angeles Chargers L, 28-6
2018: vs. Washington W, 31-23
2019: vs. Buffalo Bills L, 26-15
2020: vs. Washington Football Team L, 41-16
2021: vs. Las Vegas Raiders L, 36-33
2022: vs. New York Giants W, 28-20
2023: vs. Washington Commanders W, 45-10
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What is Cowboys' Thanksgiving record? All-time results
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