5 NFL matchups we’d like to see on Thanksgiving Day 2025

While the NFL has taken Christmas Day away from the NBA, creating a new tradition, it will also always play second fiddle to Thanksgiving Day in terms of the league’s schedule.

Turkey Day is the most iconic day in the NFL regular season. It’s the first place most fans look when the schedule is released (the 2025 slate will be announced Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET). To mark the event, we’re presenting five games we’d like to see this Thanksgiving. We are offering one opponent each for Thanksgiving staples, the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys, and offering three matchups for the pumpkin pie night cap.

Here’s to a bountiful Turkey Day.

This is a simple, but delightful plan. These two teams have played on Thanksgiving 20 times, including last year when the timeout fiasco cost coach Matt Eberflus his job. His replacement, Ben Johnson, was on the other sideline as the Lions’ offensive coordinator. Now, Johnson, the prize of this coaching hiring cycle, gets to face his former team and show the world that he has a firm grip on game management. A nice twist here would have the league scheduling this matchup for a Week 18 game in Chicago as well that could have playoff ramifications. Thus, making this Johnson’s and Lions’ coach Dan Campbell’s first meeting against one another. This would be a pretty compelling start to the day.

This is the same theory in play as the first game. Dallas and Washington have played 11 times on Thanksgiving, including twice already this decade. But here’s the thing: The Commanders are suddenly good and excellent television. Washington second-year quarterback Jayden Daniels would keep eyes glued to this game and make what usually is a top-rated game of the season even more worth watching in what should be an important late-season division matchup. We already know Dallas is in the season-opening Thursday night game, too, so the Eagles are probably off the table on Thanksgiving.

We’re assuming Aaron Rodgers is going to blow white smoke from his dark hole and grace us with his presence for another reason. This would be a perfect final game to the Thanksgiving three-pack as Rodgers would face his former team for the first time. Plus, both teams should be in the playoff mix late in the season, so there would be some extra drama involved. Scheduling this game would be a worthwhile mix because even if Rodgers doesn’t go to Pittsburgh, these are two premier franchises and interest would be high. Plus, the broadcasters could talk about Rodgers all night, anyway.

The Chiefs have become a Christmas staple and they want to make the day theirs moving forward, so it’s reasonable to think they will be involved again. But why not have them play on Thanksgiving, too? Can never get enough of Patrick Mahomes, right? This would be a great matchup because the Chargers have a strong chance to challenge Kansas City’s streak of nine straight AFC West championships. Lots could be at stake here and going live from L.A. to end the day would be pretty cool. The game would be in Kansas City because the two teams will reportedly play in Brazil in Week 1 with the Chargers being the home team.

This would be a nice baton pass from the NFC East battle in Dallas. The Super Bowl champion Eagles are going to get a ton of prime-time love this year, so why not on Thanksgiving Day in a 2024 season playoff rematch against the Rams? The Lincoln Financial Field atmosphere would be electric in what could be fun weather conditions and yes, why not give Philly a chance to boo Santa Claus to start the Christmas season?