How and where to live stream Thanksgiving football games this year

Thanksgiving Day football games are a longstanding US tradition, featuring both NFL and college games. They’ve become a cherished part of the holiday, with families gathering to watch their favorite teams play before or after a meal, making it as much a part of the day as turkey and pumpkin pie. 

If you’re away from home and want to indulge yourself in the full American Thanksgiving experience, you can stream(new window) the NFL Thanksgiving games using Proton VPN(new window).

What football games are on Thanksgiving 2024?

The three big NFL games are officially hosted by CBS, Fox News, and NBC. They’re also available on streaming platforms owned by those broadcasters. Thanksgiving weekend this year also features a Black Friday game showing on amazon Prime, pitting the Las Vegas Raiders against the Kansas City Chiefs.

In this guide, we focus on using NBC, Fox, and CBS to watch the official NFL Thanksgiving football games. To watch the games on other platforms (including the Black Friday game on Prime), we have the streaming guides for: 

• Peacock(new window) (NBCUniversal’s streaming service)
• Paramount+(new window) (CBS’s streaming service)
• Amazon Prime Video(new window)

How to watch Thanksgiving football games using Proton VPN

To use streaming services via Proton VPN, you’ll need a paid Proton VPN plan. If you already have a Proton VPN Free plan, you can upgrade your account by logging in and selecting Plus (or another paid plan) from your account dashboard.

If you don’t have a Proton VPN account, you can sign up for a Plus plan here(new window).

From your browser

1. If you haven’t already, you’ll need to download and install Proton VPN for your device. 

• Proton VPN for Windows(new window)
• Proton VPN for macOS(new window)
• Proton VPN for Linux(new window)

2. Log in to Proton VPN and connect to any Plus (not free) server located in the United States. 

3. Visit the NBC(new window), Fox(new window) or CBS(new window) websites and just start watching the game.

On a mobile device

NBC, Fox, and CBS offer mobile apps:

• NBC — Android(new window), iOS and iPadOS(new window)
• Fox — Android(new window), iOS and iPadOS(new window)
• CBS — Android(new window), iOS and iPadOS(new window)

1. If you haven’t already, you’ll need to download and install Proton VPN for your device. 

• Proton VPN for Android(new window)
• Proton VPN for iOS and iPadOS(new window)

2. Log in to Proton VPN and connect to any Plus (not free) server located in the United States. 

3. Download the NBC, Fox, or CBS app and just start watching the game!

On your smart TV

NBC, Fox, and CBS apps are available for Android TV, Amazon Fire TV (“firestick”), and Apple TV. 

1. Download Proton VPN for:

• Android TV(new window)
• Fire TV(new window)
• Apple TV(new window)

2. Log in to Proton VPN and connect to any plus (not-free) server located in the United States.

3. Install the NBC or CBS app on your Android TV, Fire TV, or Apple TV device and just start watching the game.

What are Thanksgiving day football games?

Football on Thanksgiving began with high school and college matchups in the late 1800s, but the NFL established the professional tradition in 1934. The NFL hosts three games on Thanksgiving Day, featuring long standing rivalries and newer matchups:

• Detroit Lions: The Lions have hosted a Thanksgiving Day game every year since 1934 (except during World War II).
• Dallas Cowboys: In 1966, the Cowboys joined the tradition, hosting a Thanksgiving game each year (except in 1975 and 1977).
• Rotating night game: Since 2006, the NFL has added a third game in the evening, featuring rotating teams. T