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Lions Thanksgiving Game Starts 30 Mins Later
27 Nov, 2025
Summary
- Lions-Packers Thanksgiving game moved to 1 p.m. ET kickoff.
- NFL aims to boost viewership by aligning holiday start times.
- Historical viewership gap between Lions and Cowboys has shrunk.
This year's NFL Thanksgiving Day slate sees a slight shift, with the Detroit Lions' matchup against the Green Bay Packers moving to a 1 p.m. ET kickoff, a half-hour later than previous years. NFL leadership indicated this change is intended to synchronize holiday game times with standard Sunday viewing windows, potentially attracting a larger audience.
The league anticipates record viewership for the Thanksgiving Day games, driven by current trends and competitive matchups. While the Dallas Cowboys have historically drawn higher ratings on Thanksgiving, the gap between their viewership and that of the Lions has diminished considerably over recent seasons.
This viewership surge for the Lions' game is attributed to their on-field success and efforts to make the Thanksgiving tradition a significant spectacle. Data suggests that a later start time on Thanksgiving Day allows more fans to be settled and ready to watch, a factor considered in the scheduling adjustment.
