The NFL has a long tradition of Thanksgiving Day football folklore that has been played every year since 1945 (the tradition actually started in 1920, but was interrupted from 1941 to 1944 due to World War II). The Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys have hosted a Thanksgiving game for over 40 seasons, with the Lions hosting a Thanksgiving game every year since 1945 and the Cowboys since 1978. Detroit actually began hosting Thanksgiving games in 1934, but broke the tradition. from 1939 to 1945 due to World War II. The Cowboys started in 1966.
Considering the Lions and Cowboys have hosted Thanksgiving roster games every year since 1978, it’s no surprise that their players hold all-time records on Thanksgiving in multiple categories. The NFL added a Thanksgiving Night game in 2006 and typically pinned the holiday marquee game in the prime-time slot, so some standout performances emerged from the nightcap.
In this week’s “By the Numbers,” we thank the league’s all-time leaders this Thanksgiving.
Most passing yards at Thanksgiving (all time)
- Matthew Stafford (Lions) – 3,000
- Tony Romo (Cowboys) – 2338
- Troy Aikman (Cowboys) – 2,174
Most TDs spent on Thanksgiving (all time)
- Tony Romo (Cowboys) — 18
- Matthew Stafford (Lions) — 18
- Bobby Layne (Lions) — 14
- Danny White (Cowboys) — 14
Most yards rushed at Thanksgiving (all time)
- Emmitt Smith (Cowboys) – 1178
- Barry Sanders (Lions) — 931
- Tony Dorsett (Cowboys) — 723
- Walter Payton (bear) — 423
Most Rushed TDs at Thanksgiving (all time)
- Emmitt Smith (Cowboys) — 13
- Tony Dorsett (Cowboys) – 9
- Barry Sanders (Lions) — 8
- Joique Bell (Lions) — 5
Most receiving yards on Thanksgiving (all-time)
- Jason Witten (Cowboys) — 903
- Herman Moore (Lions) — 834
- Calvin Johnson (Lions) — 769
- Michael Irvin (Cowboys) — 722
Most TDs received on Thanksgiving (all times)
- Calvin Johnson (Lions)–11
- Cloyce’s Box (Lions) — 7
- Michael Irvin (Cowboys) — 6
It’s no surprise to see Cowboys and Lions players dominating this list — since both teams play every year during the holidays — though it’s a nice throwback to players who played a lot of Thanksgiving games. Tony Romo had many standout performances on Thanksgiving, having three games with more than three touchdown passes during the holidays. Romo threw 18 touchdowns to 11 interceptions in 10 Thanksgiving starts.
Barry Sanders has four 130-yard plus performances on Thanksgiving, saving his best games for the holidays. Even though Sanders averaged 4.47 yards per carry on Thanksgiving, the Lions went 7-3 in his 10 games played. Smith has eight 100-plus-yard Thanksgiving rushing performances in 12 games, most notable when he rushed for 144 yards on 23 carries in his last Thanksgiving Day game for the Cowboys in 2002 — at the age of 33 Years.
Johnson has only had one game on Thanksgiving where he hasn’t had a receiving touchdown — in nine starts. Moore has three receiving games over 125 yards during the holidays, the most notable being the seven-catch, 169-yard performance against the Buffalo Bills in 1994.
Let’s take a look at the best performances in a single Thanksgiving game.
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Most passing yards at Thanksgiving (single game)
- Troy Aikman (Cowboys, 1998) – 455
- Kirk Cousins (Washington, 2016) – 449
- Tony Romo (Cowboys, 2012) – 441
- Matthew Stafford (Lions, 2012) – 441
- Philip Rivers (Chargers, 2017) — 434
Most TDs passed at Thanksgiving (single game)
- Peyton Manning (Colts, 2004) — 6
- Bob Griese (Dolphins, 1977) — 6
- Matthew Stafford (Lions, 2015) – 5
- Tony Romo (Cowboys, 2006) – 5
Most Rushing Yards at Thanksgiving (Single Game)
- OJ Simpson (Bills, 1976) — 273
- Bob Hoernschemeyer (Lions, 1950) — 198
- Earl Campbell (Oilers, 1979) – 195
- Walter Payton (Bear, 1981) – 179
- Barry Sanders (Lions, 1997) – 167
Most receiving yards at Thanksgiving (single play)
- Andre Johnson (Texans, 2012) — 188
- Lance Alworth (Chargers, 1964) – 185
- Anthony Carter (Vikings, 1987) – 184
- Amari Cooper (Cowboys, 2018) – 180
- Don Maynard (New York Titans, 1960) – 179
A few other nuggets from the outstanding Thanksgiving Day performance:
- Sterling Sharpe has the most touchdowns on Thanksgiving with four, which he completed for the Green Bay Packers in 1994.
- Cameron Jordan has the most sacks on Thanksgiving with four, achieved in 2018 when the New Orleans Saints played the Atlanta Falcons.
- No player has ever recorded three interceptions on Thanksgiving.
- Five players rushed for three touchdowns on Thanksgiving: Jim Braxton (Cardinals), DeMarco Murray (Cowboys), Ed Podolak (Chiefs), Barry Sanders (Lions) and Emmitt Smith (Cowboys) — Smith accomplished the feat twice (1996 and 1998).
- Tom Brady (Patriots) and Dave Krieg (Lions) are the only two starting quarterbacks with a perfect passer rating of 158.3 on Thanksgiving (minimum 20 attempts). Krieg did it in 1994 and Brady in 2010.
- Simpson’s 273 rushing yards were an NFL record at the time. He also ran for two scores in a loss to the Lions in 1976.
- Randy Moss (21 years, 286 days) is the youngest player to catch a touchdown on Thanksgiving (1998). Donald Driver (34 years, 297 days), is the oldest. Ezekiel Elliott (21 years, 125 days) is the youngest player to run for a touchdown on Thanksgiving (2016) while Marcus Allen (36 years, 247 days) is the oldest (1996).
- Drew Brees (39 years, 311 days) is the oldest player to throw a touchdown pass on Thanksgiving (2018) while Robert Griffin III (22 years, 284 days) is the youngest (2012).
The NFL has a lot of tradition on Thanksgiving, plus more records to break over the next few years (some maybe in 2022). Enjoy football and have a happy Thanksgiving!