The NFL has set its 2025 Thanksgiving slate with three games, starting with the Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions at 1 p.m. ET. The afternoon matchup features the Kansas City Chiefs at Dallas Cowboys at 4:30 p.m. ET, followed by the Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens in primetime at 8:20 p.m. ET. This year's early kickoff marks the first change in 43 years, shifting from the traditional 12:30 p.m. ET start.
For the first time in 43 years, the NFL's Thanksgiving opener will kick off at 1 p.m. ET instead of 12:30 p.m., as announced by commissioner Roger Goodell. The Detroit Lions will host the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field on Fox, reviving a historic rivalry. The Lions have played on Thanksgiving since 1934, holding a 38-45-2 all-time record, while the Packers are 16-20-2 in 38 holiday games.
The afternoon game pits the Kansas City Chiefs against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on CBS. Dallas, known as 'America's Team,' boasts a 34-22-1 Thanksgiving record over 57 games and enters with three straight wins. The Chiefs, seeking a playoff push at 6-5, last played on the holiday in 2006 and face a Cowboys defense ranked 31st in scoring at 28.5 points per game allowed.
Primetime action closes with the Cincinnati Bengals visiting the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on NBC. Joe Burrow is expected to return from injury for his first start since Week 2, joining Ja'Marr Chase after a one-game suspension. The Ravens, on a five-game win streak and tied atop the AFC North at 6-5, have won both of their prior Thanksgiving games in 2011 and 2013. The Bengals, at 3-8, aim to spoil Baltimore's division hopes in this AFC North clash.
These games highlight playoff implications, with high viewership anticipated. The 2022 Cowboys-Giants Thanksgiving game drew a record 42.1 million viewers.
