Sure, the Detroit Lions have been hosting a Thanksgiving Day game since 1934.  But does that mean they have secured a permanent right to continue the tradition?

In a recent PFTV segment, we pondered this question.

 

But even if the tradition is scuttled and the Lions and/or Cowboys lose their automatic right to host a game on the fourth Thursday in November, keep in mind the reality that the NFL concocts the schedule in April, and that games to be played in late November that look to be compelling seven months earlier won’t necessarily be all that great after eleven or twelve weeks of the season.

The Seahawks-Cowboys game is a prime example.  When the schedule was announced, it had real potential.  Since then, not.

So taking the game from the Lions won’t guarantee that a good one will be broadcast in its place.

That said, we can at least be thankful for the fact that the NFL ignored efforts by the Chiefs to secure dibs on the Thanksgiving night game.  They hosted the first one two years ago, and they wanted to make it an annual thing.  If it had happened, today’s tripleheader would feature an 0-11 team, a 2-9 team, and a 1-10 team.