If you’re headed to Thursday’s Detroit Lions vs. Green Bay Packers game at Ford Field, you can look forward to some extra special Thanksgiving-themed food.
And, just like in years past, fans at the game will be able to eat traditional Thanksgiving food.
Levy, Ford Field’s food and drink partner, will be busy making a lot of holiday snacks for the Lions’ annual Thanksgiving Day game. At Thursdays Thanksgiving Day game, according to Levy, they expect 850 team members on hand.
Fans expect the Ford Field staple offering of a turkey leg dripping with cranberry barbecue sauce. There will also be turkey sandwiches with gouda cheese and cranberry aioli. And loads of stuffing and other side dishes.
In addition to the usual fare, there will be food and drinks that honor the Green Bay Packers. For example, there will be loaded fries with brats and the Lambeau Leap, a drink made with whiskey, apple pucker, and pineapple juice served with an apple and cheese skewer.
You will find the Thanksgiving offerings spread out over numerous concession areas, according to Ford Field officials.
Ford Fields’ “Power Hour,” put on by Soaring Eagle Casino, starts before the game. m. , a half-hour earlier than normal.
The Detroit Lions have been playing football on Thanksgiving Day since 1934, providing a Turkey Day tradition for generations of football fans. An integral part of the festivities is the ceremonial Thanksgiving turkey, a tradition that has evolved over the years.
A Brief History of the Lions on Thanksgiving
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The first Thanksgiving Day football game played by the Detroit Lions (then known as the Portsmouth Spartans) was in 1934 at the University of Detroit Stadium versus the Chicago Bears. The Lions lost that game, but started an annual tradition that persists today.
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Prior to the first televised Thanksgiving Day game in 1956, the Lions Thanksgiving games were broadcast on the radio, providing entertainment to families as they prepared their holiday meals.
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Over the years, the Lions have hosted division rivals like the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving to battle for NFC North supremacy. Some of the most memorable games have been hard fought contests featuring legendary players and coaches
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Through ups and downs on the field, the Lions on Thanksgiving have become ingrained in American culture and an indispensable part of the holiday celebration
The Origins of the Honorary Thanksgiving Turkey
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As early as 1945, the Lions made turkey presentations to teammates as a humorous nod to the Thanksgiving holiday.
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In 1970, the first honorary turkey was presented when Lions offensive lineman Ed Flanagan was gifted a turkey by his teammates as a joke. This started the tradition of the honorary turkey presentation.
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For years after that a practice player would be awarded a turkey as a prank usually played on rookies by veteran players. They would tease them by giving them a “Turkey of the Year” award.
Evolution into a Season Long Competition
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In 2003, the Lions organization decided to evolve the turkey tradition into a season long competition called the Turkey of the Year. Players would vote for the most deserving teammate based on specific funny or embarrassing moments throughout the season.
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The Turkey of the Year winner would be officially presented with a custom turkey trophy during the Thanksgiving Day halftime show. This turned it from a casual locker room prank into an official sponsored segment of the game.
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This annual competition added a new dimension for players and fans to look forward to each season. It provided a humorous balance to the intense competition happening on the field.
The Turkey and Football Traditions Come Together
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Since 2003, the presentation of the Detroit Lions Turkey of the Year has become an integral piece of the Thanksgiving Day tradition.
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Though played in fun, the award highlights the camaraderie and human aspects of professional football, grounding the spectacle in the personal relationships of the players.
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Past winners have included prominent players like quarterback Dan Orlovsky (2008) and running back Kevin Jones (2004). Each had lighthearted yet embarrassing media moments that led to them being bestowed the turkey trophy.
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Seeing respected players and role models participate shows that the tradition spans across generations of Lions. It links the great names of Lions past with the stars of today.
Thanksgiving Table Talk Centered Around Football
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For many families, Lions football and turkey are intertwined on Thanksgiving Day. The Turkey of the Year segment sparks conversation around the dinner table as relatives reminisce over past winners and debate who might win it this season.
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Parents use it as a teachable moment for kids about friendly rivalry. Friends rag on each other, betting who will have the honor of being named the turkey.
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The lighthearted competition breaks up the intensity of the game and gives fans an engaging talking point, making the turkey presentation a cherished family-friendly tradition.
An Evolving Tradition Looking to the Future
The Detroit Lions Thanksgiving turkey has evolved from a simple locker room prank into a featured presentation sponsored by national brands like Omaha Steaks and Campbell’s Chunky Soup. It is now a staple of the TV broadcasts, allowing fans across the country to participate. Kids grow up looking forward to seeing which player will be named the Turkey of the Year, keeping the tradition alive across generations. As the Lions continue their Turkey Day tradition, the honorary turkey remains a fun reminder of football’s humble roots as an American pastime, best enjoyed in good company over a wholesome meal.
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Thanksgiving game day cocktails:
- It has vanilla vodka, Fireball, Blake’s Apple Cider, and a cider mill doughnut. It’s called Blazin’ Blake.
- Roarin’ Roary: vodka, blue curacao, and lemonade, with a blue candy skewer and pop rocks on top.
- A drink called Lambeau Leap is made with whiskey, apple pucker, and pineapple juice. It comes with a cheese and apple skewer.
Here’s a sample of Thanksgiving Day food at Ford Field:
- Turkey leg with cornbread dressing and cranberry barbecue sauce on top
- Turkey slices, cranberry aioli, gouda cheese, and leaf lettuce are piled on top of a brioche bun to make a baked cranberry turkey sandwich.
- Fried potatoes from Green Bay topped with brats, peppers, onions, crispy cheese curds, and spicy brown mustard
- On top of a juicy Polish sausage are tangy sauerkraut, spicy brown mustard, and crispy potato sticks.
- On a soft hoagie bun, there is a Kielbasa Sausage Sandwich with sauerkraut that has been seared and a velvety beer cheese sauce.
- There are collard greens, mac and cheese, smoked turkey, cornbread, and yams inside the Family Reunion Eggroll. You can get it with either cranberry sauce or hot sauce.
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