Thanksgiving NFL Open Thread
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Football is one of the great Thanksgiving traditions, and for once we have a slate of games that it good on paper and all meaningful in terms of playoff implications.
This history of the Lions and Thanksgiving is entertaining:
Plenty of folks have their memories of watching the Lions on Thanksgiving. Some are more fond than others.
Growing up in Southeast Ohio, Bengals QB Joe Burrow remembers plopping on the couch for the early-window game to see the Lions on Thanksgiving. What followed was a shared experience for many in this country.
“I think just like a lot of kids, you grow up going through Thanksgiving, you have your meals with your family and then you go and sit on the couch and typically there’s not a lot on except football,” Burrow said Tuesday, days before playing in his first Thanksgiving game. “Back in the day, it was Lions and somebody. You go watch Matthew Stafford throw for 300, 400-some yards with Calvin Johnson and probably lose the game. But it was fun to watch. Those are memories that you have.”
For those in nearby Michigan, the Lions’ Thanksgiving performance would often make or break the holiday. Just ask local product Isaac TeSlaa.
“We would go to my dad’s parents’ house, my whole extended family,” said TeSlaa, Detroit’s rookie receiver playing for his hometown team. “Me and my dad were big, die-hard Lions fans, and the rest of my extended family didn’t watch football that much. They weren’t diehards like me and my dad were. So, most of the time during Thanksgiving, it didn’t turn out the way we wanted it — me and my dad — so we had to listen to all the s––– talk from my extended family. That would really piss us off for the drive home.”
No matter the result, no matter the record, Thanksgiving was the one constant for a franchise once known for turnover. A lack of on-field success meant their prime-time and nationally-televised opportunities were few and far between. Networks weren’t exactly begging to showcase the Lions. There was a common sentiment as those conversations unfolded between the league and its broadcast partners.
At least they have Thanksgiving.
Now that they’re actually good, and would like them to beat the Packers, I would be very thankful if they would end the “Dan Campbell, offensive play-caller” experiment.
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