Same Old Lions Thanksgiving? Bears Rumored for Turkey Day at Ford Field
According to NFL Insider Jordan Schultz, the Lions will host the Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving in 2026. Again.
Look, I get it. The NFL wants eyeballs on screens while families argue over stuffing recipes. But this is about as adventurous as ordering the same thing at your favorite restaurant for the fifth time in six years.
Under Dan Campbell’s tenure, we’ve hosted division rivals on Thanksgiving in all but one season. Bears in 2021, 2024, and now 2026, Packers in 2023 and 2025, with only the Bills breaking the monotony in 2022.
The Ben Johnson Revenge Game That Isn’t
Here’s where it gets interesting, or at least more interesting than watching the same teams carve turkey drumsticks year after year. Ben Johnson will be making his return to Ford Field as Chicago’s head coach.
Johnson went 0-2 against his former team in 2025, including that 52-21 beatdown we handed them. Nothing says Thanksgiving like watching your former offensive coordinator get absolutely worked by the team he helped build.
The Bears are coming in as defending NFC North champions, which still feels weird to type. But the Lions are favored to take the division back, and honestly, that feels right too.
History Repeating Itself
This will mark the 20th time these two teams have faced off on Thanksgiving, the second most in NFL history. We split the last two meetings under Campbell, losing 16-14 in his first season before getting revenge with a 23-20 win in 2024.
The NFL is banking on both teams being relevant come Week 12, and honestly, they’re probably right. This division is going to be a bloodbath, and having it play out on national television while everyone’s in a tryptophan coma? That’s just good business.
Nothing’s official yet, but if this holds true, at least we know Ford Field will be rocking on Turkey Day. Just don’t expect any surprises in the scheduling department.
Are you pumped for another divisional Thanksgiving slugfest or are you begging the league for literally anyone else? Sound off below.
Honestly I’m hyped for this. Ben Johnson coming back to Ford Field knowing what he’s up against? That’s the kind of game that gets you out of bed on Thanksgiving morning. This team is different now and we get to prove it on national TV.
I mean yeah it’s cool to beat Johnson again but at some point can we get someone fresh for Thanksgiving? I trust what Campbell and Holmes are doing but mixing it up once in a while wouldn’t kill us.
You know back in the day we’d be lucky to have these kinds of matchups mean anything come November. Now we’re actually relevant for Turkey Day and everyone cares about it. That’s huge for this franchise and what’s been built here.