WACO, Texas (KXXV) — The Dallas Cowboys will soon hit the field as families gather at the table for Thanksgiving during the beloved tradition and holiday.
Seeing the star on the field brings back memories for some fans.
"Cowboys are America's team, right? So it's appropriate that America's family holiday — you should have the Cowboys," said Curator for the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, Jay Black.
"I think of being at my grandmother's house in Groesbeck, Texas, and I just remembered the smells of her macaroni and cheese and all the family gathered around the small TV set."
It seems like the Cowboys have always played on Thanksgiving, but that wasn't the case until Dallas General Manager Tex Schramm changed the course of history.
"In 1965, Pete Rozelle was looking to add a game to the Detroit game that had been played for years — since the 30's — when his good friend Tex Schramm found out about it, he jumped at the opportunity,
Black said.
"Being the visionary, Schramm realized he wanted the Cowboys in front of a national audience and the deal he made with Pete was, 'We'll do it in '66, but we want to do it — we want to host the game from here on out'."
Nostalgia is hitting extra this year as the Texas A&M Aggies and Texas will face each other to re-ignite the rivalry and it shows how special football is to the Lone Star state.
"That rivalry is finally renewed because that's something I always remember too — it's like A&M in Texas played like the 11 o'clock game around noon, and then the Cowboys played at three or six," Black said.
"Football in Texas go hand-in-hand and Thanksgiving in football also go hand-in-hand."
The Cowboys will open a new chapter of their Thanksgiving story against the Giants — kickoff is set for this Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, at 3:30 p.m.
