NFL Thanksgiving Tradition: Turkey Leg Award Explained

Numerous anecdotes from bygone eras revolve around the post-game turkey consumed following Thanksgiving NFL games. From the days of John Madden and Pat Summerall announcing games, eating a turkey leg and then indulging in turducken has been a traditional feature of the holiday and a link for the winner of the games played on the fourth Thursday in November.

NFL Thanksgiving Tradition: Turkey Leg Award Explained

After the Seattle Seahawks defeated the San Francisco 49ers 19-3 in 2014, Russell Wilson and Richard Sherman are still famous for devouring a turkey leg in the middle of Levi’s Stadium.

Not to mention the previous season, when Tyler Bass of the Buffalo Bills, Stefon Diggs, and Josh Allen all received turkey legs after Bass nailed a 45-yard field goal with two seconds left to beat the Detroit Lions 28-25 at Ford Field. Bass’ kick capped a four-play drive that took only 21 seconds to execute, a drive spearheaded by a long pass from Allen to Diggs.

The NFL has been playing games on Thanksgiving Day for many years. Since 1989, the MVP of the game has been given a turkey leg instead of a trophy. Admittedly, there’s nothing more thrilling than a turkey leg on Thanksgiving, regardless of any trophies that may be awarded.

How did this delectable custom originate?

Legendary pundit John Madden determined that the MVP of the 1989 Thanksgiving game between the Eagles and Cowboys should be given a turkey leg as a prize for their performance.

The first-ever turkey leg award winner was Eagles linebacker Reggie White, who guided the Philadelphia defence to a 27-0 shutout of Troy Aikman and the Cowboys.

However, the myth around the turkey leg prize needed to continue to expand.

The next year, Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith received the honour from Madden once more. In a 27-17 victory over the Redskins, Smith had accumulated 132 yards and two touchdowns on 23 attempts.

After the game, Madden said he wished he could give out six turkey legs—one to Smith and one to each of Dallas’ five offensive linemen. Harvey’s Barbecue Pit owner Joe Pat Fieseler was inspired to make a six-legged turkey, as reported in a Nov. 25, 1998, article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

“We had to find turkeys that had a lot of legs on them,” Madden told the Star-Telegram. “There’s only one place you can get a turkey with more than two legs, and that’s in Texas.”

Fieseler told the Star-Telegram, “The story I like to tell is that these turkeys grow on a farm near the nuclear plant in Glen Rose.”

Regardless of the players’ opinions on the postgame turkey and whether or not to consume it, they all concur that it is an honor to even be given the chance. It indicated that their squad had prevailed and was entitled to extra days off in order to recover for the upcoming week.

In 1997, Madden incorporated turducken into the custom. A turkey filled with boneless duck and boneless chicken is known as turducken. The custom began when a public relations representative for the New Orleans Saints brought some for Madden to sample.

After Super Bowl XLIII, Madden announced his retirement after calling 20 Thanksgiving games. Madden died on December 28, 2021. Last year, the NFL launched the first-ever John Madden Thanksgiving Celebration, which featured tributes that aired throughout Thanksgiving games on all networks.

 

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