When most people think of Thanksgiving Day, they think of the lavish turkey dinner and friends and family coming together at the dinner table. However, to some, Thanksgiving Day is also about football, a tradition that has been kept alive in Dallas and Detroit. Thanksgiving football games are how people in these cities often start their day.
The NFL schedule is expected to make for an exciting Thanksgiving in 2024. This guide tells you all you need to know about this transition, how you can watch the NFL games this year, and how to set up a football game watch party.
When you do, you will need a robust and reliable solution to run your setup. This is where the Jackery Portable Power Stations will come into play. These portable power stations offer you all the power you need to keep your game day going smoothly.
Who Plays Football on Thanksgiving 2024?
The National Football League, or the NFL, has played games on Thanksgiving Day since its inception in 1920. This tradition was inspired by the college football games typically played around the November holidays. Traditionally, it has also included one game that the Detroit Lions host every year.
Today, the NFL plays a key role in advancing youth football, providing plenty of resources for educational institutions, parents, and children themselves. The NFL has also addressed some of the most frequently asked questions on its FAQs page.
Besides this, it also relies on science to continually advance training methodologies. For example, after a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that concussions were more likely to occur during tackle football practice than during a game, leagues across the country implemented measures to reduce the amount of person-to-person contact during practice sessions.
If you’re looking to keep up with everything planned for 2024, here’s the complete Thanksgiving football schedule and where you can stream the games.
Thursday, November 28
What football games are there on Thanksgiving? There are three games scheduled for the 28th, and they are:
- Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions: 12:30 p.m. ET on CBS.
- New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys: 4:30 p.m. ET on FOX.
- Miami Dolphins at Green Bay Packers: 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC.
Friday, November 29
There is one game scheduled for 29 November:
- Las Vegas Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs: 3 p.m. ET on Prime.
Sunday, December 1
There are 11 games scheduled for 1 December. These are listed below:
- Los Angeles Chargers at Atlanta Falcons: 1 p.m. ET on CBS.
- Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals: 1 p.m. ET on CBS.
- Arizona Cardinals at Minnesota Vikings: 1 p.m. ET on FOX.
- Tennessee Titans at Washington Commanders: 1 p.m. ET on CBS.
- Indianapolis Colts at New England Patriots: 1 p.m. ET on CBS.
- Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars: 1 p.m. ET on FOX.
- Seattle Seahawks at New York Jets: 1 p.m. ET on FOX.
- Los Angeles Rams at New Orleans Saints: 4:05 p.m. ET on FOX.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers: 4:05 p.m. ET on FOX.
- Philadelphia Eagles at Baltimore Ravens: 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS.
- San Francisco 49ers at Buffalo Bills: 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC.
Monday, December 2
There is one game scheduled for 2 December:
- Cleveland Browns at Denver Broncos: 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN.
How to Watch Thanksgiving Football Games?
There are two ways to watch the Thanksgiving football games: online and offline. The next two sections show you how to use each option.
Online
The Thanksgiving games will be broadcast on major networks like FOX, NBC, and CBS. You can stream the games online on any streaming device or service that carries FOX, NBC, and CBS. Some examples include YouTube TV or Fubo.
If you don’t subscribe to any streaming services, you can also get a paid subscription to NFL+. Further, if you don’t have a cable subscription, you can catch the Thanksgiving football games on various streaming services. If you’re wondering where to watch Thanksgiving football, here are a few options:
- Paramount+: This is CBS’ streaming service, and it offers a one-week free trial.
- Peacock: Peacock is NBC’s streaming service, and a subscription gives you access to games and all the football lineups.
- YouTube TV: YouTube TV offers a free trial, after which you’ll need to pay a monthly charge of $73.
- Fubo TV: Fubo is a sports-focused streaming service offering a free trial.
Offline
If you want to watch the game offline, The Utter Punts are hosting a watch party at The Bierkeller Manchester.
According to the Chicago Bears website, some of the other watch parties you can check out are:
- Bears at Texans at Rookies Sports Bar & Grill
- Bears at Colts at Fitzgerald’s
- Jaguars vs. Bears at The Whistle
- Bears at Lions at Edison Park Inn
- Bears at Cardinals at Fire Bar and Grill
How to Set Up a Football Game Watch Party
If you’ve decided to set up a watch party for Thanksgiving football 2024, you’ll need to check several boxes. This section lists all the steps you should follow to set up an unforgettable football watch party.
Step 1: Decide on the Party Theme
The first step is to decide on a theme for the party where you’ll be watching the Thanksgiving football games. You could choose to have a pajama party and keep things casual, or you could decorate the space with football-themed decor and balloons, among other items.
Carefully consider your budget and who you intend to call at this stage, as it will dictate the ideal theme and the level of effort you put into making it happen.
Step 2: Send Out the Invites
Once you’ve decided on the theme, send out all your invites. Make sure to add all the important information, such as the date, time, venue, and whether you want your guests to bring something along with them. This will be crucial, particularly if you’re choosing to host a potluck.
Step 3: Gather Your Party Supplies
A party isn’t one without the right party supplies. Stock up on beer for all those who drink, and make sure there’s enough to go around. In terms of food, you could either cook it yourself or order it yourself. If you decide to cook, choose quick yet soulful recipes that won’t take too much time to whip up.
If you’re going to have kids over, make sure to gather supplies, toys, or other essentials to keep them occupied. Additionally, to ensure that your watch party doesn’t suffer a power outage, invest in a reliable battery backup source like a Jackery Portable Power Station.
Here’s a quick party essentials list for you to refer to:
- Finger food and snacks
- Plenty of sodas
- Sweet treats and chocolates
- Mints
- Garbage bags
- Spare hand towels
- Hot coffee
- Pillows and throws
- First aid kit
- Extra take-home containers for leftover food
- Toilet paper
- Scented candles
- Decorations
- Jackery Portable Power Station
Step 4: Plan Games and Other Activities
When it’s game night, it only makes sense to have some games that your entire group can play together. A brilliant example is a game where you match teams with their respective mascots. This can be a great way to check who among you is a true football enthusiast and who’s simply along for the ride.
Other options include dance contests, such as Commercial Bingo and Jenga. Beer pong could also be an option for those who want to load up on the beer. For any games requiring electronic gadgets, you can use a small portable generator to move around.
Portable Power Stations for Football Game Event
Jackery has earned a strong reputation as a leading manufacturer of portable power stations, solar generators, and solar panels. The Jackery Solar Generators combine the Jackery Portable Power Stations with the Jackery SolarSaga Solar Panels.
When these panels are positioned to receive direct sunlight, they effectively capture the sun’s energy and convert it into DC electricity. This electricity then passes through a pure sine wave inverter, which converts it into AC electricity for practical use.
These portable power stations are perfect for powering your Thanksgiving football watch party. They can run most household appliances effortlessly, ensuring your game day doesn’t face any interruptions.
Jackery Explorer 600 Plus Portable Power Station
The Jackery Explorer 600 Plus Portable Power Station is a medium-capacity option that can easily run most small to medium-sized appliances both indoors and outdoors. Its robust construction ensures high durability outdoors. The station is also shockproof and fireproof, further adding to its durability. You can easily use this to run appliances like your lights, TV, projector, and even an ice maker and a portable refrigerator.
Jackery Explorer 300 Plus Portable Power Station
The Jackery Explorer 300 Plus Portable Power Station offers all the power capacity you need on the go. With 52 protective mechanisms and a robust build, it is highly durable and can be used both indoors and outdoors. It also features ultra-fast solar charging and comes with a foldable handle that makes it easy to carry it wherever you go.
Jackery Solar Generator 1000 V2
The Jackery Explorer 1000 V2 Portable Power Station offers a remarkable 1500W of output, which is more than enough to run most of your game-day appliances and gadgets, including the bigger ones you use every day. The portable power station features a handle you can fold down for convenience. It is whisper quiet and emits no harmful fumes, making it completely safe for you to use indoors and in closed spaces.
Product |
Capacity |
Appliances |
Jackery Explorer 600 Plus Portable Power Station |
632.3Wh |
TV (60W): 8.9H Smartphone (29W): 18.5H Electric Blanket (75W): 7.1H Ice Maker (160W): 3.3H Projector (100W): 5.3H |
Jackery Explorer 300 Plus Portable Power Station |
288Wh |
TV (60W): 4H Smartphone (29W): 8.4H Electric Blanket (75): 3.2H Ice Maker (160W): 1.5H Projector (100W): 2.4H |
Jackery Explorer 1000 V2 Portable Power Station |
1070Wh |
TV (60W): 15.1H Smartphone (29W): 31.3H Electric Blanket (75): 12.2H Coffee Maker (550W): 1.6H Microwave (1160W): 42M |
Conclusion
The Thanksgiving football games are always a long-awaited annual event. It offers the perfect opportunity for you to get together with your buddies to catch the games together and make some memories. This guide has listed all the games scheduled for 2024 and how you can watch them. It also offered a step-wise guide on setting up the perfect game day watch party.
For a comfortable and uninterrupted party, you need a power source you can rely on even during extended power outages. Jackery Solar Generators offer the perfect solution that you can use every day indoors and outdoors.
Have you ever experienced Thanksgiving football games in person? How would you describe it? Let us know in the comments below!
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