The Motor City Muscle uniforms were first launched in 1948 by Bo McMillin as an alternative to their scarlets, and a tribute to the working-class history of the city of Detroit. They were brought back in the early 00s when head coach Dan Campbell found himself out on the field,

It started as a marketing idea when owner George A Richards moved the old Portsmouth Spartans to Detroit, rebranded them as the Lions, and scheduled a Thanksgiving showdown with the defending champion Chicago Bears in 1934 to boost attendance and get a national radio audience.

The Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions both have losing records on Thanksgiving Day. Each is in the hunt for an NFL playoff spot.