Cowboys outlast Chiefs in Thanksgiving Day classic

With both teams fighting for the playoff lives, the Dallas Cowboys and Kansas City Chiefs put on a classic performance on Thanksgiving Day.

Dak Prescott hit a late 51-yard bomb to CeeDee Lamb, setting up a Brandon Aubrey field goal that proved to be the game-winner as the Cowboys prevailed 31-21.

The win keeps the Cowboys (6-5-1) in the hunt for the playoffs. Dallas, riding a three-game win streak, is now two games behind the 49ers for the final wildcard slot.

Critical penalties, including a late defensive pass interference call that gave Dallas a first down with three minutes left in the game, hurt the Chiefs.

Prescott finished 27-of-39 for 320 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Javonte Williams had 17 carries for 59 yards and added three catches for 21 yards and a score.

Ceed Dee Lamb had seven catches for 112 yards and a touchdown.

George Pickens had six catches for 88 yards and Jake Ferguson had five catches for 36 yards.

On defense, Dallas was led by Jadeveon Clowney’s six-tackle, two-sack effort.

Patrick Mahomes was 23-for-34 for 261 yards, and four touchdowns without an interception. Kareem Hunt had 14 carries for 58 yards.

Rashee Rice finished with eight catches for 92 yards and two touchdowns while Travis Kelce had five catches for 45 yards and a touchdown.

Kansas City was flagged 10 times for 119 yards in the game and fell to 6-6 on the season.

1st Quarter

Three plays in, on his second pass of the day, Prescott forces a ball into double coverage and gets picked. The Chiefs run two plays and take a 7-0 lead.

For the second straight week, the Cowboys trail early at home.

On Dallas’ second drive, Prescott nearly threw another interception, saved only by a great play by CeeDee Lamb to jar the ball loose from the defender.

The Cowboys took advantage of the break and drove for the tying score. Lamb hauled in a 15-yard pass on third and 10 in the endzone to cap a solid 12-play drive.

The Chiefs answered back with their own 12-play drive to retake the lead.

On 4th down at the two, Mahomes hit Kelce in the endzone over the middle with just a second left in the quarter for a 14-7 lead.

2nd Quarter

The Cowboys’ third drive began at their own 16. Dallas converted a huge fourth down near midfield.

But the drive stalled shortly after Pickens lost a ball in the sun glare that Jerry Jones refuses to address.

The sun playing a factor early in the game.#DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/8hdU5jgjmL

— Brandon Loree (@Brandoniswrite) November 27, 2025

Brandon Aubrey kicked a 49-yard field goal to make it 14-10 with 10:22 left.

The Chiefs third drive looked promising but stalled at midfield after a holding call and a sack. The Chiefs punted the ball down to Dallas’ 15.

Malik Davis capped the Cowboys’ next drive with a 43-yard touchdown run on the eighth play to take a 17-14 lead with 3:10 left.

Kansas City drove back into the Cowboys’ side of the field. But yet another holding call on J.T. Simmons derailed the drive.

The Chiefs ended up punting to the Dallas 15 and the Cowboys ran a play to take a 17-14 lead at the break.

3rd Quarter

The Chiefs got a huge kickoff return out to their own 46 to start the second half. But a questionable offensive pass interference call put the Chiefs in too deep a hole to recover from.

The Chiefs punted and pinned Dallas at their own three-yard line.

Dallas went three and out after a Pickens dropped pass.

The Chiefs again drove into Cowboys’ territory but stalled at the 44. Another punt was downed at the Cowboys’ 4 with 7:05 left in the quarter.

Aided by a huge pass interference call drawn by Lamb, the Cowboys moved the ball to the Chiefs 20.

A Jake Ferguson 13-yard touchdown catch was overturned on replay as Ferguson only got one foot down in bounds.

Aubrey extended the lead to 20-14 on a 36-yard field goal.

The Chiefs finally stopped shooting themselves in the foot and drove to the Cowboys’ three, setting up a third-and-goal going into the final quarter.

4th Quarter

After an incomplete pass, the Chiefs went for it on fourth down and Mahomes found Rashee Rice for the go-ahead score and a 21-20 lead.

Pickens atoned for his earlier drop with an incredible catch and run of 39 yards to get Dallas to the Chiefs’ six.

Prescott extended the play and threw a pass at the last second to find Williams, who walked in for the touchdown. The Cowboys went for two and extended the lead to 28-21, with 11:15 left.

The Chiefs got a solid kickoff return, but another holding penalty and dropped passes killed the drive.

Dallas took the ball at their own 10 with 9:26 left. Prescott unloaded a 51-yard bomb to Lamb on the first play of the drive.

The Cowboys settled for an Aubrey 26-yard field goal.

However, Prescott nearly was picked two plays before and Pickens fumbled on third down. KeVonte Turpin recovered Pickens’ fumble to retain possession.

Mahomes wasn’t done yet, driving the Chiefs down and finding Hollywood Brown to cut the lead to three with 3:27 left.

The Cowboys were able to hold onto the ball for the rest of the game for the win.

By The Numbers

The Cowboys are now 8-5 all-time against the Chiefs, who began play in 1960 in the AFL as the Dallas Texans.

Dallas has won all six games at home against the Chiefs since losing the first-ever meeting in Dallas between the teams in 1975 by a 34-31 score.

Kansas City is 4-2 at Arrowhead Stadium, having won the last two games played there, including a 19-9 victory in 2021 when the two teams last met.

When it comes to Week 13 battles, the Cowboys are now 42-23 overall and 30-12 when playing at home. This will be just the second Week 13 meeting between the two teams.

Dallas beat Kansas City, 24-12, in the 1995 Thanksgiving Day game.

Speaking of Thanksgiving…

Turkey Day Record

The Cowboys are now 35-22-1 on Thanksgiving Day and have won the last three games played on the holiday. They beat the Giants in 2022 and 2024 and Washington in 2023.

The last holiday loss came in 2021 to the Las Vegas Raiders in overtime.

Scoragami Update

The final score of the game was the seventh time in Cowboys history a game has ended in such a score and Dallas is 5-2 in those contests.