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The NFL will hold its second annual “John Madden Thanksgiving Celebration” on Thursday, November 23, with special tributes to the late head coach and beloved commentator.
This year, the league will pay tribute to Madden with a special turducken coin, jersey patches, and “John Madden Thanksgiving Celebration” stencils on the field.
Every game will also air a special NFL-produced “Madden Hallmark” at the start of the broadcast.
“There’s no place that I would rather be today on Thanksgiving than right here, right now, at a football game,” Madden says in the voiceover. “There’s just certain things that go together. You know, the turkey, the family, the tradition, football, and we have it all here today.”
The NFL announced on Tuesday that this year's edition of the “John Madden Thanksgiving Celebration" will include a special NFL-produced “Madden Hallmark" to kick off each broadcast, conveying what Thanksgiving meant to him in his own words. pic.twitter.com/Ijgvn1IILg
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) November 14, 2023
The special edition coins will feature a silhouette of John Madden on the heads side, with a six-legged turducken on the reverse (tails) side.
John Madden Thanksgiving Celebration Special Coin, NFL Media
John Madden Thanksgiving Celebration Jersey Patch, NFL Media
Along with the visible tributes, each network airing a game will select a player of the game who will receive a $10,000 donation from the NFL Foundation to be given to a high school or youth football program in their name, as the topic of youth football was important to Madden, according to an NFL release.
Games will air on FOX, CBS, and NBC.
A full look at the 2023 NFL Thanksgiving Day schedule can be seen below.
2023 NFL Thanksgiving Day TV Schedule
| Time ET | Game | TV Info |
|---|---|---|
| 12:30 pm | Packers – Lions | FOX |
| 4:30 pm | Commanders – Cowboys | CBS, Paramount+ |
| 8:20 pm | 49ers – Seahawks | NBC, Peacock |
