It's not every year an NFL team not named the Cowboys or Lions gets to play on Thanksgiving Day in front of a nationwide audience. Playing on the national holiday is quite rare for most of the league. The last time the Bills played on Thanksgiving was 1994.
Most of the players in Buffalo's locker room grew up watching Thanksgiving Day games from their couch with their families, but there are a few who have the experience of playing in this game when everyone is watching.
"It is an honor number one," said head coach Sean McDermott, who coached in a Thanksgiving game with Carolina in 2015. "Even for myself as a young kid watching the Dallas Cowboys play on Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving afternoons, eating dinner together as a family. A lot of great memories. It'll be special to be part of that game now with the Buffalo Bills. Just a unique environment and setting down in Dallas."
Here's what Buffalo's players think of the opportunity to play on Thanksgiving, the game, the short week and what it means for the rest of their season.
HOMECOMING
There are more than half a dozen players from the state of Texas on Buffalo's roster. For them, a Thanksgiving Day game in Dallas is about as good as it gets in terms of seeing family on what will be a work day.
Born in Sugarland, Texas, Jerry Hughes relishes the opportunity to play in his home state, where he also played his college ball (TCU) and made a name for himself.
"This game is very important," Hughes said. "As a kid growing up watching the NFL you always kept your eye on a Thanksgiving game because you could sit and enjoy your family and some good food. My wife, in laws, my parents, my kids. They'll all be there. A couple of my roommates will be there. It'll be fun going back to Texas."
Perhaps homecoming applies to no one better than Cole Beasley, a Dallas native. A former Cowboy, who previously played his entire football career in or for teams from the state of Texas, Beasley isn't sure how he'll feel when he steps between the lines on Thursday afternoon.
"I get pretty juiced before every game so I expect it to be the same, but I don't know," Beasley said. "It's the first time I've ever gone against an ex-team as an opponent, so I don't know how I'll feel at that time. But I'll be excited to play football. I know that for sure."
THANKSGIVING GAME EXPERIENCE
Along with coach McDermott, who coached in a Thanksgiving game there are a couple of former Carolina Panthers who played on the holiday back in 2015, the year the Panthers went to the Super Bowl.
Micah Hyde played on Thanksgiving his rookie year with Green Bay when they faced off against Detroit. He had a couple of kick returns and rotated in on defense.
"I knew a lot of people would be watching," said Hyde of his thoughts back in 2013. "What was cool was I was in Detroit for that game so I had a lot family up from Ohio at that game."
For Star Lotulelei, the Panthers game against the Cowboys went well as they left Dallas with a 33-14 victory. But former and current teammate Kurt Coleman had a special memory from that game, an interception return for a touchdown.
"It was the third play of the game," Coleman said. "My record on Thanksgiving has been pretty solid. But it's a different team in the sense of who they are. Romo was the quarterback then. The great thing about this is we have a lot of great mojo going down to Dallas. We're excited about the challenge. I know they're hungry to rebound off their loss against New England, so it's going to be two hungry teams going at it. It's important to be able to establish ourselves early in the game."
RECOVERY
Buffalo's players know perhaps the most important part of a Thanksgiving game is taking extra steps to get the proper recovery on a short week.
"A bunch of us came in right after the game Sunday and got some treatment and sat in the steam rooms and the tubs," said Lotulelei. "We got some light treatment and then came back in for more Monday morning. We only had a walk-through, so that was helpful. We had a light practice Tuesday and got moving around and that helped get the blood moving again."
"A lot of guys were staying here longer this week," said Hyde. "Trainers were here later to help take care of us. We're making use of all of our recovery tools to get our bodies back right."
Coleman however, believes being mentally sharp on a short week might carry the most weight.
"The most important thing is getting your mind right," he said. "You're probably still going to be a little sore, but once it's game time you don't feel it until the day after. It's all about who can recover physically and mentally. Discharge everything you had to know from last Sunday and then process everything that's going in this week.
"So mentally you have to just be taking the extra step, whether it's talking with the coaches or looking at film. Both teams are going through it, so they're going to be focusing on what they do best and we need to focus on that along with what we do best. It's just going to be about what team executes the best on a short week."
FAMILY
A good number of players in addition to Hughes will have family on hand for the game, even though some of those families don't reside in Texas.
Dawson Knox, who is used to playing on Thanksgiving from his college days at Ole Miss when they'd face Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl, is a Tennessee native, but he'll have family in the stands at AT&T Stadium.
"My mom's side of the family is coming, 20 maybe 30 people," Knox said. "So it'll be fun. Anytime I get to see my family before or after and knowing they're there watching, it always makes it special. It just adds a little extra excitement to the game."
Josh Allen, whose family resides in California, realized this was as close as the Bills would come to the west coast this season, so they're making the holiday trip to Arlington, Texas as well.
"I'm going to have a good support group from back home, about 40 of them," said Allen. "So it'll be good to see them. There's a lot to be thankful for. I'm super blessed and really can't complain."
"I've got a lot of family coming to the game," cornerback Tre'Davious White said. "I've got a lot of family that lives in the Dallas area. My dad lives down there. So it'll be fun to see my family for the first time since July. So it's going to be fun."
When the Bills play against the Cowboys in Dallas on Thanksgiving, a few players on the roster will be returning to their home state. Scroll through to view photos of the players and their families, and their history in Texas.
WR Cole Beasley
- Beasley played his high school and college football in Texas, as he attended Southern Methodist University in University Park, Texas.
- Originally from Little Elm, Texas, Beasley and his family now live in Junction, Texas. Beasley and his wife Kyrstin have three kids, Ace, Everett and Jovie.
- Beasley also played on the Dallas Cowboys, who he will play against for the first time in Week 13.
Cole Beasley touchdown and leap into the fans. Buffalo Bills vs Philadelphia Eagles, October 27, 2019 at New Era Field.
Photo by Bill Wippert
WR Cole Beasley
- Beasley played his high school and college football in Texas, as he attended Southern Methodist University in University Park, Texas.
- Originally from Little Elm, Texas, Beasley and his family now live in Junction, Texas. Beasley and his wife Kyrstin have three kids, Ace, Everett and Jovie.
- Beasley also played on the Dallas Cowboys, who he will play against for the first time in Week 13.
WR Cole Beasley
- Beasley played his high school and college football in Texas, as he attended Southern Methodist University in University Park, Texas.
- Originally from Little Elm, Texas, Beasley and his family now live in Junction, Texas. Beasley and his wife Kyrstin have three kids, Ace, Everett and Jovie.
- Beasley also played on the Dallas Cowboys, who he will play against for the first time in Week 13.
WR Cole Beasley
- Beasley played his high school and college football in Texas, as he attended Southern Methodist University in University Park, Texas.
- Originally from Little Elm, Texas, Beasley and his family now live in Junction, Texas. Beasley and his wife Kyrstin have three kids, Ace, Everett and Jovie.
- Beasley also played on the Dallas Cowboys, who he will play against for the first time in Week 13.
WR Cole Beasley
- Beasley played his high school and college football in Texas, as he attended Southern Methodist University in University Park, Texas.
- Originally from Little Elm, Texas, Beasley and his family now live in Junction, Texas. Beasley and his wife Kyrstin have three kids, Ace, Everett and Jovie.
- Beasley also played on the Dallas Cowboys, who he will play against for the first time in Week 13.
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Cole Beasley, who went to SMU, throws out a first pitch before a baseball game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Texas Rangers on Thursday, April 14, 2016, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
WR Cole Beasley
- Beasley played his high school and college football in Texas, as he attended Southern Methodist University in University Park, Texas.
- Originally from Little Elm, Texas, Beasley and his family now live in Junction, Texas. Beasley and his wife Kyrstin have three kids, Ace, Everett and Jovie.
- Beasley also played on the Dallas Cowboys, who he will play against for the first time in Week 13.
WR Cole Beasley
- Beasley played his high school and college football in Texas, as he attended Southern Methodist University in University Park, Texas.
- Originally from Little Elm, Texas, Beasley and his family now live in Junction, Texas. Beasley and his wife Kyrstin have three kids, Ace, Everett and Jovie.
- Beasley also played on the Dallas Cowboys, who he will play against for the first time in Week 13.
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Cole Beasley (11) runs the football during an NFL preseason football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Aug. 26, 2018, in Arlington, Texas. The Cardinals defeated the Cowboys, 27-3.
DE Jerry Hughes
- Hughes is a native of Sugar Land, Texas and played his college football at TCU in Fort Worth, Texas. He has been a member of the Bills since he was acquired via trade in 2013.
- Jerry and his wife Meghan have two children, J.R. and Hayden.
Buffalo Bills defensive end Jerry Hughes (55) Buffalo Bills vs Washington Redskins at New Era Field on November 3, 2019. Photo by Craig Melvin
DE Jerry Hughes
- Hughes is a native of Sugar Land, Texas and played his college football at TCU in Fort Worth, Texas. He has been a member of the Bills since he was acquired via trade in 2013.
- Jerry and his wife Meghan have two children, J.R. and Hayden.
DE Jerry Hughes
- Hughes is a native of Sugar Land, Texas and played his college football at TCU in Fort Worth, Texas. He has been a member of the Bills since he was acquired via trade in 2013.
- Jerry and his wife Meghan have two children, J.R. and Hayden.
TCU defensive end Jerry Hughes (98) follows the action during the first half of an NCAA football game in Fort Worth, Texas. Hughes is a top prospect in the NFL draft.
DE Jerry Hughes
- Hughes is a native of Sugar Land, Texas and played his college football at TCU in Fort Worth, Texas. He has been a member of the Bills since he was acquired via trade in 2013.
- Jerry and his wife Meghan have two children, J.R. and Hayden.
DE Jerry Hughes
- Hughes is a native of Sugar Land, Texas and played his college football at TCU in Fort Worth, Texas. He has been a member of the Bills since he was acquired via trade in 2013.
- Jerry and his wife Meghan have two children, J.R. and Hayden.
DT Ed Oliver
- A native of Houston, Texas, Oliver played his high school and college football in Texas. He played college football at the University of Houston, where he was the ninth overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Bills.
Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver (91) celebrates his sack of Denver Broncos quarterback Brandon Allen (2) with Shaq Lawson. Buffalo Bills vs Denver Broncos, November 24, 2019 at New Era Field.
Photo by Bill Wippert
DT Ed Oliver
- A native of Houston, Texas, Oliver played his high school and college football in Texas. He played college football at the University of Houston, where he was the ninth overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Bills.
Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver (10) sacks South Florida quarterback Quinton Flowers (9) during the second half of an NCAA college football game, in Tampa, Fla. Oliver is a possible pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File)
DT Ed Oliver
- A native of Houston, Texas, Oliver played his high school and college football in Texas. He played college football at the University of Houston, where he was the ninth overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Bills.
Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver (10) jumps over Rice offensive lineman Uzoma Osuji, center, to get around offensive lineman Jack Greene, right, during an NCAA college football game, in Houston. Oliver is a possible pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke, File)
C Mitch Morse
- A native of Austin, Texas, Morse has started all 11 games as a Buffalo Bill so far after being signed as a free agent in the offseason.
- Morse and his wife Catie make frequent visits to Texas in their free time.
Buffalo Bills vs Cleveland Browns at First Energy Stadium on November 10, 2019. Buffalo Bills center Mitch Morse (60).
Photo by Craig Melvin
C Mitch Morse
- A native of Austin, Texas, Morse has started all 11 games as a Buffalo Bill so far after being signed as a free agent in the offseason.
- Morse and his wife Catie make frequent visits to Texas in their free time.
C Mitch Morse
- A native of Austin, Texas, Morse has started all 11 games as a Buffalo Bill so far after being signed as a free agent in the offseason.
- Morse and his wife Catie make frequent visits to Texas in their free time.
LB Corey Thompson
- A native of Missouri City, Texas, Thompson played his high school football at Lawrence Elkins High School before moving on to LSU for college football.
Buffalo Bills linebacker Corey Thompson (52). Buffalo Bills vs Denver Broncos at New Era Field on November 24, 2019. Photo by Craig Melvin
OT Ty Nsekhe
- A native of Arlington, Texas, Nsekhe played his high school football at Arlington Bowie High School before playing college football at Texas State University. Nsekhe joined the Bills as a free agent before the 2019 season.
Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Ty Nsekhe (77) Buffalo Bills at Cleveland Browns, November 10, 2019 at FirstEnergy Stadium. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Cole Beasley (10)Buffalo Bills defensive end Jerry Hughes (55)Buffalo Bills vs Philadelphia Eagles at New Era Field, October 27, 2019. Photo by Jeffrey T. Barnes
Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver (91) and defensive end Jerry Hughes (55) Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots, September 29, 2019 at New Era Field. Photo by Bill Wippert
CHILDHOOD MEMORIES
Many of the players on the roster remember watching Thanksgiving Day games at home with their families growing up. Well most of them anyway.
Tre'Davious White and Isaiah McKenzie are two exceptions.
"I didn't really start watching Thanksgiving games until I got to college," said White.
"Last year was my first time watching the Thanksgiving games," said McKenzie. "I was having Thanksgiving at Josh Allen's house. I never really watched it as a kid. So watching it last year was pretty cool. The only three games on TV. For us to play at 4:30 and get a primetime slot is pretty exciting."
For most however, watching those games as a kid is still very vivid.
"I remember growing up and waking up on Thursday and going and eating and watching these games all day," said Allen. "That's all I did along with stuffing my face with mashed potatoes. So I know there are people out there who are going to be doing the same thing."
"It's a game unto itself," said Cody Ford of their game with Dallas. "You grow up watching Thanksgiving games and now we get a chance to play in one. It's a separate type of experience all to itself. It's special."
"I just remember watching those games growing up and always just wondered if I could get to that level," said Knox. "Now I may get a chance to be the guy eating the turkey leg at the end of the game. It's really cool."
