Lions/Cowboys: Which team do you want to play on Thanksgiving?

TL;DR

The Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions are Thanksgiving football staples, while the Houston Texans rarely play on this holiday. Upcoming matchups are rumored but not confirmed until the official schedule release on May 14th.

Key points

Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions are Thanksgiving staples
Houston Texans rarely play on Thanksgiving
Official schedule release is on May 14th
Texans have the 7th easiest strength of schedule for 2026

Dallas CowboysDetroit LionsHouston TexansKansas City Chiefs

Nov 18, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Houston Texans defensive end Derek Barnett (95) runs a fumble back for a touchdown during the second half against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images The Houston Texans are a rare sighting on Thanksgiving. While the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions (and recently, the Kansas City Chiefs) are holiday football staples, many teams in the league rarely get a seat at the turkey day table. For fans wanting to spend the day cheering for their team in between bites of turkey, tamales or whatever your traditional meal includes, watching other teams doesn’t quite get the job done. Current rumors have the Cowboys and Eagles facing off, with the Lions and Bears going at it as well. But, the official schedule release doesn’t drop til Thursday, May 14th, so rumors are just that until they aren’t. Which brings us to the newest Battle Red poll:

Houston Texans 2026 Schedule

Last week, it was erroneously reported that the Texans had the 7th hardest strength of schedule. In a nice turn of fate, and a little eating crow for repeating the misinformation, I’m happy to report it’s actually the 7th easiest. Big thanks to Clayton Anderson for this graphic: Until the Dallas Cowboys 2026 schedule is released on Thursday, we won’t know if the vaunted Texans defense gets to feast on them for Thanksgiving. But in the meantime, the Texans schedule seems to get better and better.

Q&A

Which teams traditionally play on Thanksgiving in the NFL?

The Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions are the traditional teams that play on Thanksgiving in the NFL.

When will the official NFL Thanksgiving schedule be released?

The official NFL Thanksgiving schedule will be released on Thursday, May 14th.

What is the strength of schedule for the Houston Texans in 2026?

The Houston Texans have the 7th easiest strength of schedule for the 2026 season.