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Lions Host Defending Champion Bears on Thanksgiving

5/15/2026

44 10 Full Breakdown

Summary

Lions Host Thanksgiving

The Detroit Lions will host the Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving, November 26, 2026, at 1 p.m. ET.
Dan Campbell hosts his fifth Thanksgiving game against a division rival while Bears coach Ben Johnson returns to Ford Field.
Tickets start at $400 in Section 300, with lower-level seats from $764 in Section 135.
After a 9-8 season, Detroit entered 2026 as an NFC North favorite while the Bears are defending champions.

Summary

Bears Thanksgiving Streak

Chicago has logged 39 Thanksgiving games, ranking third behind the Lions and Cowboys.
The Bears hold a 20-16-2 Thanksgiving record, the most wins of any non-host team, and have won four of their last five outings.
The 2026 game, the Bears’ third straight Thanksgiving primetime slot, ties Chicago with the Packers for third-most appearances and continues a meeting with Detroit after a Black Friday win over the Eagles last season.

History

Historical Context

The Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears meet on Thanksgiving 2026, a continuation of the 1930s surge in organized sports, illustrated by Italy’s 2-1 World Cup victory in 1934, which helped popularize large-scale spectator events. The holiday game now generates multi-million ticket revenue and draws national television audiences, reflecting the commercial growth that began in that early decade.

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Lions Host Thanksgiving

The Detroit Lions will host the Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving, November 26, 2026, at 1 p.m. ET.
Dan Campbell hosts his fifth Thanksgiving game against a division rival while Bears coach Ben Johnson returns to Ford Field.
Tickets start at $400 in Section 300, with lower-level seats from $764 in Section 135.
After a 9-8 season, Detroit entered 2026 as an NFC North favorite while the Bears are defending champions.

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