<P> The concept of American football games being played on Thanksgiving Day dates back to 1876 , shortly after the game had been invented , as it was a day that most people had off from work . In that year , the college football teams at Yale and Princeton began an annual tradition of playing each other on Thanksgiving Day . The University of Michigan also made it a tradition to play annual Thanksgiving games , holding 19 such games from 1885 to 1905 . The Thanksgiving Day games between Michigan and the Chicago Maroons in the 1890s have been cited as `` The Beginning of Thanksgiving Day Football . '' In some areas , high - school teams play on Thanksgiving , usually to wrap - up the regular - season . </P>
<P> The concept of American football games being played on Thanksgiving Day dates back to 1876 , shortly after the game had been invented , as it was a day that most people had off from work . In that year , the college football teams at Yale and Princeton began an annual tradition of playing each other on Thanksgiving Day . The University of Michigan also made it a tradition to play annual Thanksgiving games , holding 19 such games from 1885 to 1905 . The Thanksgiving Day games between Michigan and the Chicago Maroons in the 1890s have been cited as `` The Beginning of Thanksgiving Day Football . '' In some areas , high - school teams play on Thanksgiving , usually to wrap - up the regular - season . </P>
who played the first thanksgiving day football game
who played the first thanksgiving day football game
Yale and Princeton
Yale and Princeton