The Detroit Lions take the field once again, as they have virtually every turkey day since 1934. A trio of games are on tap
Nic Antaya
In 1934, the Portsmouth Spartans football team moved to Detroit and changed their name to the Lions. To boost the franchise's popularity, the team's owner scheduled a game on Thanksgiving Day against the Chicago Bears. That gave birth to a Thanksgiving tradition that has only been skipped six times since, due to World War II.
The Lions take the field once more on Thanksgiving this year, as will the Chiefs, Ravens, and more.
So as you wait for the turkey to finish roasting, grab a spot on the couch and tuck in to some gridiron action. One programming note: While Amazon $AMZN usually has the rights to Thursday games in the NFL, none of today's meet-ups will be on the streaming service. (Instead, Amazon will host an exclusive game tomorrow.)
Here's how to watch the Thanksgiving Day NFL games.
Here's who's facing off this week. The home team is listed second.
Detroit Lions vs Green Bay Packers, 1:00 p.m. ET on Fox
Dallas Cowboys vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 4:30 p.m. ET on CBS
Baltimore Ravens vs. Cincinnati Bengals, 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC
Yes. All three of today's games will be broadcast over traditional networks, meaning they're free to watch if you have a TV. The best way to watch those games is with a good HD antenna. Be sure to test the antenna in multiple locations in your home to find the most reliable signal.
You can, and sometimes you can do so for free. There are plenty of options, though.
NBC’s streaming service offers access to all Sunday night matchups. You'll pay an $8 or $14 monthly charge or $80 for an annual plan. (The service has recently done away with its free trial.)
Disney $DIS's bundle of Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ does not offer a free trial either, meaning you'll need to pay $17 per month for all three combined (or $30 per month for no ads on Hulu and Disney+).
This service is going away soon, but at the moment it's still accepting new members, who will pay $83 per month (with ads) or $95 per month without ads.
After a free trial, monthly charges of $83 will kick in.
The seven-day trial on this service is no more, but Dish is offering a Day Pass, giving you 24-hours of Live TV for $5. Sports fans can opt for the lower-tiered "Orange" plan, which costs $46 per month. Adding the "Blue" plan, which gives you more sports options, takes that monthly cost to $61 per month.
The streaming arm of DirecTV costs $85 per month and more after the free trial expires. (If you want the package with NFL Network, brace for a $90 monthly bill.)
Like Hulu, this standalone app is going away. For now, though, you can take advantage of a seven-day trial, after which you'll be looking at monthly charges of $85 and up.
No. To maximize viewership, the NFL is broadcasting all of the Thanksgiving games via over-the-air TV. Amazon will host an exclusive game on Black Friday, however.
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