Bears vs. Lions: Teams to wear special jersey patches for Thanksgiving game

The Chicago Bears will be back in the Thanksgiving spotlight for the first time in three years, and they’ll be wearing special jersey patches to honor an NFL legend.

The Bears, along with the Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Green Bay Packers and Miami Dolphins, will be wearing the special patches to honor the life and legacy of legendary coach and broadcaster John Madden, who became synonymous with Thanksgiving football during his life.

The Bears showed off the patches in a social media post Thursday morning:

According to the Associated Press, Madden will be honored during all three of Thursday’s games, including the opener between the Bears and Lions at Detroit’s Ford Field as part of the “John Madden Thanksgiving Celebration.”

Madden became a legendary broadcaster during his years at CBS and Fox, calling a total of 20 Thanksgiving games between the networks. He started many traditions that have carried through the years, including awarding turkey legs to the best players on the winning team.

That tradition will continue on NBC Thursday night when the Dolphins and Packers square off at Lambeau Field. In addition to the turkey legs, the legendary “Madden Cruiser,” which the broadcaster used to travel to games due to his fear of flying, will also be at Lambeau Field and will be the subject of an NBC tribute to the broadcaster’s legacy.

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The Bears and Lions will kick off at 11:30 a.m. Thursday. The Cowboys and Giants will follow at 3:30 p.m., and the nightcap between the Dolphins and Packers will begin at 7:20 p.m.