Thanksgiving and the Dallas Cowboys are like turkey and stuffing. What began as a risky marketing gamble in 1966 has become one of the most enduring traditions in American sports—the Cowboys playing at home every Thanksgiving Day.

The tradition is deeply enthralled in American culture, with many families watching the game as part of their Thanksgiving Day tradition.

The Beginning: 1966

The tradition was born not out of business. Dallas general manager Tex Schramm wanted to give the young franchise (only seven years old at the time) a national spotlight and a boost in popularity. The NFL had been playing Thanksgiving games since 1920, but they were mostly in Detroit (and occasionally other cities). Schramm convinced commissioner Pete Rozelle to give Dallas a Thanksgiving home game in 1966.

On November 24, 1966, the Cowboys hosted the Cleveland Browns in front of a sold-out Cotton Bowl (and a national TV audience). Dallas won 26–14 and the tradition was born. Quarterback Don Meredith threw two touchdown passes, and the Cowboys were suddenly “America’s Team” in the making.

Clint Murchison Jr., the Cowboys’ owner, famously said after the game: “We just put Thanksgiving in a chokehold.”

The Cowboys would go on to win two Super Bowls in the 1970s, launch the extremely popular Cowboys cheerleaders and develop a new face of the league in former Navy quarterback “Captain America” Roger Staubach. The Cowboys’ golden era turned them into the country’s most popular team, still referred to as America’s Team to this day.

The Streak Begins

From 1966 to 1973, the Cowboys went 6–2 on Thanksgiving, including wins over legends like Vince Lombardi’s Packers and George Allen’s Redskins. The halftime shows were gloriously over-the-top—Bob Hope, marching bands, and once even a live performance by The Temptations.

Their best winning streak came in the 1980s when they won six straight games on Thanksgiving from 1980-85.

Overall, the Cowboys are 34-22-1 all-time in their Thanksgiving Day games. They have won the game two years in a row, which snapped a three-game losing streak from 2019-21.

1974 and 1977: The Two Gap Years

The NFL players’ strike in 1974 forced the league to move the Thanksgiving game to St. Louis (the Cardinals beat Dallas 14–3).

In 1977, the league experimented again and gave the game to the Cardinals. Dallas did not play on Thanksgiving those two years—the only gaps in the streak since 1966.

The Off Years: Late 1970s–1980s

From 1978 to 1989, the Cowboys went 3–9 on Thanksgiving. The low point came in 1989 when the 1–10 Cowboys got annihilated 24–0 by the 10–1 Philadelphia Eagles. Bounty Bowl I happened two weeks earlier, and Philly fans still talk about the snowballs-and-battery Christmas they gave Santa Claus that year.

But everything changed in the 1990s.

The Triplets Era: 1990s

With Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin—the famed “Triplets”—the Cowboys turned Thanksgiving into their personal showcase.

Notable moments:

• 1993: In a blinding snowstorm, Leon Lett’s infamous blocked field goal blunder on a slick, icy Texas Stadium turf allowed Miami to win 16–14. Still the most replayed Thanksgiving play ever.

• 1994: The Cowboys crushed the surging Brett Favre led Packers 42–31 behind Emmitt Smith’s 133 yards and 3 TDs.

• John Madden’s “turkey leg” tradition involved him awarding a real turkey leg to the MVP of the Thanksgiving Day football game, a custom he started. This evolved into him and his broadcast partner Pat Summerall  presenting a “turducken” to the winning team. He famously once wished for a six-legged turkey so he could give a leg to each of the Dallas Cowboys’ offensive linemen, a challenge that a Texas barbecue shop owner met by creating one. 

The 2000s: Mediocrity at Best

The post-Aikman era was rough. From 2000 to 2010, the Cowboys went 5–6 on Thanksgiving, with forgettable quarterbacks like Quincy Carter, Ryan Leaf and Drew Henson under center. A era most Cowboys fans try to forget.

The 2025 Match-up

The Kansas City Chiefs visit the Cowboys in only the second meeting between Dak Prescott  and Patrick Mahomes. This game follows the Chiefs’ season-saving comeback against the Colts and the Cowboys’ 21-point comeback victory over the Eagles, both teams’ postseason hopes are alive again. The game kicks off at 4:30 p.m. Eastern on CBS.

“The Cowboy Regg” – Co-Host of the “Sons of the Star” Podcast. – Co-editor at “We Like Sportz”Follow “Cowboy Regg” on X @ Irish_Cowboy88

Photo Credits: Fox, CBS, NFL, The Landry Hat, SI, ESPN.