The US celebrates Thanksgiving Day on November 24, 2022. It is observed on the fourth Thursday of November each year and is a day of celebration of the year’s harvest, general well-being and a mark of gratitude to nature and God. Thanksgiving day has been celebrated nationally since 1789 after a proclamation by Geroge Washington and was made a federal holiday by Abraham Lincoln on April 15, 1872. It has been a fairly long tradition in the NFL to have games on this day and this year is no exception.

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History: 

Although Thanksgiving Day has been celebrated for centuries, an NFL game was held on the occasion for the first time in 1934, when the then owner of Detroit Lions, George Richards took the initiative and a match was held between Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears at the University of Detroit Stadium. The initiative was a strategic success as it could capture a bulky audience celebrating the occasion.

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They were then followed by the Dallas Cowboys, who also started the practice of playing games on the occasion from 1966. Since then, The Cowboys have held the match annually 53 times, with 1975 and 1977 being the only exceptions. In 2006, NFL added a third game on the occasion but unlike the other two, this fixture has no fixed teams. Both Lions and Cowboys always play their thanksgiving encounters at home.

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Schedule:

 This year, the Detroit Lions take on the Buffalo Bulls on November 24 at 12.30 pm EST (11 pm IST) at Ford Field in Detroit.

The Dallas Cowboys will take on the New York Giants on November 24 at 4.30 pm EST (3 am IST) at the AT and T stadium, Arlington, Texas.

The New England Patriots play the Minnesota Vikings on November 24 at 8.20 pm EST (6.50 am IST) at the US Bank stadium, Minneapolis.

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Where to watch?

Buffalo Bills vs Detroit Lions – CBS

New York Giants vs Dallas Cowboys – FOX TV

New England Patriot vs Minnesota Vikings – NBC