NFL Media Executive Sheds Light on Reasons Behind Detroit Lions’ Shifted Thanksgiving Game Time in New Strategic Move

The Detroit Lions have been a Thanksgiving Day staple since 1934, with their annual holiday game becoming one of the most enduring traditions in the NFL. For generations of fans, the Lions playing at 12:30 p.m. ET has become synonymous with turkey, family, and football. However, in a surprising shift for the 2025 season, the NFL announced that Detroit’s Thanksgiving kickoff will move from its traditional early afternoon slot to the later 4:30 p.m. ET window.

The change has stirred passionate reactions from Lions faithful and football fans alike, many of whom see the early kickoff as an integral part of Thanksgiving. To address the growing speculation and clarify the reasoning behind the move, NFL Media executive vice president of broadcast planning and scheduling, Mike North, offered a detailed explanation in a recent media availability session.

According to North, the decision to shift the Lions into the afternoon window wasn’t made lightly. “This is something we’ve been discussing for years,” he said. “We’re always looking at ways to optimize the viewing experience, not just for fans of the Lions or Cowboys, but for the national audience that tunes in to Thanksgiving games.” North emphasized that the change was part of a broader effort to rotate marquee teams and matchups through each Thanksgiving time slot to maximize viewership, competitive balance, and national appeal.

The league’s internal metrics and historical data have shown that the late afternoon game generally pulls in the highest ratings of the day, particularly when competitive teams or high-profile matchups are featured. While the Lions have recently become more competitive under head coach Dan Campbell, it’s historically been Dallas that benefits from the prime 4:30 p.m. ET slot, drawing massive ratings even during down years. North suggested that Detroit’s ascension as a legitimate NFC contender contributed to the timing being ripe for a reconfiguration.

“In recent years, Detroit has earned the right to be featured in a more prominent window,” North said. “They’ve become an exciting team. With the way their fanbase has rallied and how competitive they’ve been, we believe putting them in the afternoon slot is both a reward and a recognition of their growing national relevance.”

The decision also aligns with a more strategic push by the NFL to treat Thanksgiving as a full-day programming event, bookending the day with compelling matchups and engaging storylines. Moving Detroit to the 4:30 p.m. game allows for more flexibility in the scheduling of marquee matchups and avoids the risk of having a relatively low-stakes game lead off the holiday slate. Instead, the earlier slot can be used to highlight an emerging rivalry or a surprise team while giving one of the league’s most popular teams — and arguably its most tradition-rich Thanksgiving participant — a shot at a higher-profile showcase.

Still, for many fans, the change is jarring. The early Lions game has become as much a part of Thanksgiving as mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie. But North argued that nostalgia must be weighed against the realities of modern broadcasting and changing viewer habits.

“We understand the emotional connection people have to watching the Lions first on Thanksgiving,” he said. “But we also have to consider how fans consume content today. Afternoon games tend to pull higher engagement on social media, more viewers per household, and are generally better suited for national storytelling. This is a data-informed move that we believe will help grow the holiday audience even further.”

North also addressed concerns from Detroit’s local fanbase, particularly those attending the game in person. The traditional early kickoff allowed families to enjoy the game and still make it home in time for dinner. The later slot means fans will likely miss part or all of their Thanksgiving meals if they attend the game live. North acknowledged the sacrifice but added that local fans’ passion and loyalty helped justify the confidence in shifting Detroit to a later, more watched game.

“We know it’s a trade-off for those in Detroit and the surrounding areas,” North admitted. “But Lions fans are among the most dedicated in the league. We believe they’ll show up, they’ll make noise, and they’ll represent the city just like they always do — now with the eyes of even more viewers on them.”

In discussing how the matchups are determined, North also explained that the NFL used a combination of algorithmic scheduling tools and human input to construct the Thanksgiving slate. With Detroit getting the 4:30 p.m. ET slot, it meant that another team would take the traditional noon role, while Dallas retained its customary place in the rotation — a decision made easier by the presence of a third Thanksgiving night game, which continues to draw strong ratings in its own right.

This Thanksgiving, the Lions are slated to face the Los Angeles Rams — a rematch of last season’s wild-card showdown between Jared Goff and his former team. It’s a narrative-rich contest that, according to North, played heavily into the league’s decision to elevate the game to a more prominent slot. “We want stories people care about,” North explained. “Goff versus Stafford, playoffs rematch, two high-powered offenses — it’s everything you want in a nationally televised game.”

Detroit’s shift also allows the NFL to lean into broader storytelling across the day. With compelling matchups at every time slot — including a potential AFC playoff preview early and a divisional grudge match at night — the league hopes that casual fans will tune in earlier and stay later, turning Thanksgiving into an all-day football event.

Critics have questioned whether this is yet another instance of the NFL prioritizing national ratings over tradition and fan experience. North pushed back on that idea, noting that the league sees it as a necessary evolution rather than an abandonment of its roots. “We’re not replacing the Lions on Thanksgiving,” he said. “We’re featuring them more prominently. That’s a win for Detroit and for fans everywhere who want great football.”

There’s also a business component at play. With more attention on the afternoon game, ad revenue opportunities grow substantially. Networks pay top dollar for high-visibility holiday programming, and moving Detroit — now a playoff-caliber team with an MVP candidate quarterback and one of the league’s most charismatic head coaches — into the afternoon window helps capitalize on the Lions’ rising popularity.

Still, the NFL insists that this isn’t a permanent change. North emphasized that the time slots are fluid and will continue to rotate based on team performance, storylines, and scheduling flexibility. “There’s a good chance we’ll see the Lions back at 12:30 p.m. in the future,” he said. “This isn’t about abandoning tradition; it’s about enhancing it when the moment is right.”

Whether fans come to embrace the new schedule or cling to the past remains to be seen. But for now, the message from the NFL is clear: Detroit has earned a bigger stage. And this Thanksgiving, instead of being the warmup act for Dallas, the Lions will take center stage in front of a national audience at one of the most-watched times of the day.

As North put it, “This isn’t just about what we’re losing by moving the Lions from the early game — it’s about what we’re gaining by putting them where more people are watching. And we believe Detroit is more than ready for that moment.”

So when the Lions take the field this Thanksgiving in the 4:30 p.m. slot, they won’t just be defending a holiday tradition — they’ll be redefining it. For a franchise that has spent decades waiting for the national respect it now enjoys, that’s a storyline worth watching.