Football on Thanksgiving is a tradition unlike any other. Every year, the Dallas Cowboys – America's team – get to play in front of all of America. The Cowboys always host a game on Thanksgiving Day game, and it has been that way for the majority of the team's existence. This year, they will play the Washington Commanders in the John Madden Thanksgiving Celebration, but in this article, we are going to look at the team's history on Turkey Day.
Cowboys record on Thanksgiving
The Dallas Cowboys have been hosting a Thanksgiving game nearly every year since 1966. The only two times the Cowboys haven't played on the holiday since then were in 1975 and 1977. The game this year will be their 56th time playing on Thanksgiving. Overall, the Cowboys have a record of 32-22-1 on the day.
Cowboys stats on Thanksgiving
The Cowboys' Thanksgiving game is oftentimes the most watched regular season game of the year. In fact, last year, the Cowboys' Thanksgiving win over the New York Giants was the most-watched regular season game in NFL history.
Only the Detroit Lions have played more on Thanksgiving day, as the Cowboys' 55 appearances on the holiday are 18 more times than anyone else. The Cowboys .591 winning percentage on Thanksgiving is tied for the best of any team with at least 10 appearances.
There are a number of game MVP awards handed out by different broadcasts. Emmitt Smith has more Thanksgiving MVPs than anyone. He won a Thanksgiving MVP in 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, and 2002. Tony Romo trails him on that list with four Thanksgiving MVP awards.
Cowboys Thanksgiving highlights/memorable games
The Cowboys made their Thanksgiving debut in 1966, and they made the most of it. The team trailed at halftime but rallied back to win 26-14 over the Cleveland Browns. Don Perkins had 111 rushing yards.
Roger Staubach is one of the best players in Dallas Cowboys history and one of the most legendary quarterbacks in the NFL overall, but in the 1974 Thanksgiving game, he went down with an injury. He was concussed in the third quarter and forced to exit the game. The Cowboys were down 16-3 before Clint Longley, the backup quarterback, rallied a comeback. The Cowboys ended up winning 24-23, thanks in large part to a number of deep passes by their backup quarterback.
The 1989 game went on to be known as the Bounty Bowl. In a heated rivalry between the Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles, the Eagles allegedly placed a bounty on the Cowboys kicker. The strategy worked as the Cowboys lost 27-0 in one of the most embarrassing games in franchise history.
In 1993, two teams that don't play in the cold very often played on a snow-covered field in Texas. The results of the game between the Cowboys and the Miami Dolphins were just as bizarre as the conditions. Players were slipping and sliding all over the field, and some players even took to making snow angels.
The Cowboys were up by one point at the end of the game as the Dolphins attempted a game-winning field goal. Miraculously, Jimmie Jones blocked the kick. It sparked the broadcast team to announce that “The Cowboys will win,” but that is not what happened. The ball landed past the line of scrimmage, meaning when it stopped moving, the play would be declared dead. Leon Lett inexplicably ran towards the ball, and the poor conditions made him slip and run into the football. The ball was now live, and the Dolphins landed on it, regaining possession on the two-yard line.
The Dolphins had a second chance at kicking a game-winning field goal, and they did just that, winning 16-14. Everyone thought the Cowboys had won, as the broadcast even panned away from the action. Instead, America's team suffered a heartbreaking loss.
Future Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett was the third-string quarterback for the team in 1994. With Troy Aikman out because of injury, Garrett and the offense were on fire. The Cowboys beat the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving by a score of 42-31.
Randy Moss, a member of the Minnesota Vikings, had one of the most memorable performances ever against the Cowboys in 1998. Moss caught three catches, but all three were for over 50 yards and a score. The performance put the rookie on the map in the biggest stage you can play in during the regular season.
Tony Romo spent a few seasons on the bench, but when he finally got his chance in 2006, he made the most of it. Romo came out of the gates hot when he was made the starter during the 2006 season. His early success culminated with a dominant Thanksgiving performance. The quarterback threw five touchdown passes en route to a 38-10 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The 2016 game featured a legendary fourth quarter as the Washington Redskins and the Cowboys combined for 34 points in the final 15 minutes of play. Rookies Dak Prescott and Ezekial Elliot had incredible games and ushered in a new era for the Cowboys as they won 31-26.
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