Detroit and Thanksgiving go together like turkey and gravy. It's a tradition that stretches back to 1934, back when George A. Richards moved the team from Portsmouth, Ohio, and realized he needed a gimmick to get Detroiters to care about football. It worked. But lately, the tradition has felt more like a recurring nightmare for the Honolulu Blue faithful. If you’re looking for the Lions last win on Thanksgiving, you have to travel all the way back to November 24, 2016.
That's a long time.
Think about what the world looked like back then. "Closer" by The Chainsmokers was topping the charts. People were still obsessed with Pokémon GO. It was a different era of NFL football. Since that 16-13 victory over the Minnesota Vikings, the Lions have embarked on a holiday losing streak that has tested the sanity of every fan in Michigan. They've lost to the Bears. They've lost to the Texans. They’ve lost to the Packers. It hasn’t been pretty.
What Happened During the Lions Last Win on Thanksgiving?
Honestly, the game itself wasn't a high-scoring masterpiece. It was a gritty, defensive struggle against a divisional rival. The 2016 Detroit Lions were the kings of the fourth-quarter comeback. That season, Matthew Stafford set an NFL record by leading eight fourth-quarter comeback wins. Thanksgiving was no different.
The Vikings and Lions were tied 13-13 late in the fourth quarter. It looked like overtime was inevitable. Then, Sam Bradford—remember him?—threw an interception to Darius Slay with only 30 seconds left on the clock. Slay, known as "Big Play Slay" for a reason, jumped a route that basically handed Detroit the game on a silver platter.
Matt Prater, who was arguably the most clutch kicker in franchise history, stepped up. He nailed a 40-yard field goal as time expired. The Ford Field crowd went absolutely feral. That win put the Lions at 7-4 and in sole possession of first place in the NFC North. Life was good. Fans actually believed a deep playoff run was coming.
The Stafford Era Magic
Matthew Stafford wasn't perfect that day. He went 23-of-40 for 232 yards. No touchdowns. But he was efficient enough. Anquan Boldin, the veteran possession receiver, was his safety blanket, hauling in seven catches. It was the kind of game Jim Caldwell excelled at: keeping it close enough to let Stafford’s arm and Prater’s leg steal it at the end.
The defense was the real hero, though. They held the Vikings to just 13 points. Kyle Rudolph was the only Viking who really did much damage. It’s wild to think that this defensive performance was the peak of Detroit’s holiday success for nearly a decade.
Why the Drought Has Lasted This Long
Since that 2016 peak, things went south. Fast. You had the Matt Patricia era, which most Lions fans would prefer to scrub from their collective memory like a bad stain on a rug. The Thanksgiving games during those years weren't just losses; they were often embarrassments.
Take 2020. The Lions got dismantled by a mediocre Houston Texans team, 41-25. J.J. Watt intercepted Stafford for a touchdown, and Deshaun Watson looked like an All-Pro. That game was so bad it essentially got Patricia and GM Bob Quinn fired two days later. It was a "Black Friday" in more ways than one.
Then came the Dan Campbell era. While Campbell has turned the culture around, the Thanksgiving monkey remained on their back for a while. In 2021, they lost a heartbreaker to the Bears on a last-second field goal. In 2022, they almost upset the Buffalo Bills, losing 28-25 in a game that proved they could finally compete with the big dogs. But a "moral victory" doesn't show up in the win column.
- 2017: Loss to Minnesota (23-30)
- 2018: Loss to Chicago (16-23)
- 2019: Loss to Chicago (20-24)
- 2020: Loss to Houston (25-41)
- 2021: Loss to Chicago (14-16)
- 2022: Loss to Buffalo (25-28)
- 2023: Loss to Green Bay (22-29)
The 2023 loss to Green Bay was particularly stinging. The Lions were heavy favorites. They were 8-2. They were supposed to stomp a young Packers team. Instead, Jordan Love looked like Brett Favre reincarnated, and the Lions fumbled their way to a loss that had everyone questioning if the "Same Old Lions" were back.
The Psychological Toll of the Thanksgiving Streak
There’s a specific kind of pain associated with losing on national TV while the rest of the country is eating mashed potatoes. For Detroit, this game is their Super Bowl of the regular season. It's the one day everyone is watching them.
When you look at the Lions last win on Thanksgiving, you’re looking at the last time Detroit felt like a consistent winner on the big stage. Since then, the roster has been overhauled multiple times. We’ve gone from Stafford to Goff. From Caldwell to Patricia to Campbell.
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The irony is that the Lions actually have one of the better all-time records on Thanksgiving compared to some other teams, simply because they play it every year. But the modern drought has overshadowed the historical success of the 50s and 90s.
Does the "Home Field" Advantage Even Exist?
Ford Field is loud. It’s one of the most underrated environments in the NFL. But for whatever reason, the short week of Thanksgiving has been brutal on Detroit. Teams traveling to Detroit don't seem to mind the dome. In fact, kickers usually love it.
The short turnaround favors the team with better depth and more disciplined coaching. During the lean years, the Lions had neither. They often looked sluggish or unprepared for the early 12:30 PM ET kickoff.
Breaking Down the 2016 Box Score: A Relic of the Past
If you look at the starters from that 2016 win, almost none of them are still in the league, or at least not in Detroit.
Theo Riddick was the leading rusher with 45 yards. That tells you everything you need to know about the Lions' run game back then—it was non-existent. Golden Tate was the spark plug. Marvin Jones Jr. was the deep threat.
On defense, you had guys like Tahir Whitehead and Glover Quin. It was a blue-collar unit. They didn't have a superstar like Aidan Hutchinson, but they played fundamentally sound football. They didn't beat themselves.
The biggest difference between then and now? The 2016 team relied on luck and late-game heroics. The current Lions under Dan Campbell and Ben Johnson are built to dominate. Yet, the Thanksgiving win has remained elusive. It's the one box they haven't checked off in their "re-emergence" as an NFC powerhouse.
Misconceptions About the Lions Thanksgiving Tradition
People always ask, "Why does Detroit always get to play on Thanksgiving?"
Some think it’s a rule written in the NFL bylaws. Kinda. It’s more of a "gentleman's agreement" that became a permanent fixture. There have been calls over the years to rotate the game to other cities, but the TV networks love the Detroit slot. It’s a guaranteed rating bonanza.
Another misconception is that the Lions are "traditionally" bad on the holiday. From 1950 to 1970, they were actually dominant. They went 14-5-2 in that stretch. The current narrative of them being "Thanksgiving losers" is really a product of the post-2000 era, specifically the 0-16 season and the current decade-long struggle.
The 2016 Game's Impact on the Standings
That win wasn't just for show. It put Detroit in a position to win the division. They eventually faltered late in the season, losing the final three games, but the Thanksgiving win gave them a cushion that allowed them to sneak into the playoffs as a Wild Card.
They went to Seattle and got crushed, but that’s a story for another day. The point is, the Thanksgiving game is often a pivot point for Detroit’s season. When they win it, they usually make the postseason. When they lose, the season tends to unravel.
What the Lions Must Do to End the Curse
Looking ahead, the blueprint for a Thanksgiving win isn't complicated, but it is difficult.
- Control the Clock: In 2016, they didn't run well, but they stayed on the field. They didn't commit turnovers.
- Win the Special Teams Battle: Matt Prater was the MVP of the last win. You need a kicker who isn't scared of the pressure.
- Pressure the QB: Sam Bradford was rattled in those closing minutes. The Lions need that same defensive intensity.
The 2016 victory was defined by a veteran quarterback and a opportunistic defense. Today’s Lions have the offensive firepower, but they often struggle with the "weight" of the holiday expectations.
Honestly, the streak has to end eventually. The law of averages says so. But until it does, that 16-13 win over the Vikings will remain the gold standard for Detroit fans looking for a reason to be thankful.
Practical Steps for Lions Fans on Thanksgiving
If you’re heading to Ford Field or just watching from your couch, here is how to handle the "Thanksgiving Jinx" based on historical data.
- Don't leave early: As evidenced by the 2016 win, these games almost always come down to the final two minutes.
- Watch the turnover margin: In the last seven losses, Detroit has been negative in the turnover department in five of them.
- Manage expectations: The Lions are often the "early game" on the schedule. If they lose, don't let it ruin the turkey.
To truly understand the Lions last win on Thanksgiving, you have to appreciate the context of a franchise that was desperately trying to find its identity. Today, the identity is clear: grit, motor, and aggression. Now, they just need to translate that into a holiday W so we can finally stop talking about 2016.
For those tracking the stats, the Lions' all-time Thanksgiving record sits at 37-45-2. It’s not the best, but it’s a history that belongs solely to the city of Detroit. Every year is a new chance to erase the ghost of Matt Patricia and Sam Bradford's interceptions. One of these years, the post-game turkey leg is going to taste a lot better in the home locker room.