Today, the NFL holds three Thanksgiving games each November, two of which always feature the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys. The Lions have been a fixture of Turkey Day since 1934, when owner George A. Richards set up a holiday game as a way of drawing attention to his fledging franchise, which was often overshadowed by the Detroit Tigers. Richards was also a radio station owner, and he used his industry contacts to ensure the first game was broadcast on 94 stations nationwide. The Lions lost the matchup to the Chicago Bears, but the Thanksgiving tradition stuck. Dallas general manager Tex Schramm followed a similar script in 1966, when he secured an annual holiday game for the Cowboys. The move once again proved a huge success, and the Lions and Cowboys have since become as much of a Thanksgiving tradition as pumpkin pie and stuffing.
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