The Detroit Lions’ Thanksgiving Day game is always a major moment on the NFL calendar, and this year’s matchup against the Green Bay Packers is adding a hometown legend to the tradition.
CeCe Winans, one of the most decorated gospel artists in history, has been tapped to perform the national anthem when the Lions take the field on November 27.
In a statement shared by the team, she reflected on her family’s long-standing Thanksgiving routine. “Every Thanksgiving was all about gratefulness to God, family, food, and football,” she said. “The Lions games were on all the time in our home. I am so honored to come home and be a part of a very special Thanksgiving tradition.”
Winans’ career spans more than three decades and includes 17 Grammy Awards, 33 Dove Awards, and honors from the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and the NAACP Image Awards.
The anthem won’t be the only musical moment on the holiday broadcast. Jack White, another Detroit native and recent Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, will headline the halftime show.
The guitarist and singer—known for his work with The White Stripes, The Raconteurs, and his solo projects—will take the stage as part of the Lions’ 86th annual Thanksgiving Day Classic at Ford Field. The game airs nationally on FOX at 1 p.m. EST.
This year’s Thanksgiving event also comes with a national call to action. For the first time, the Lions are partnering with Feeding America to raise funds for families facing food insecurity.
Viewers can text TACKLE to 97955 to receive a donation link to help provide 10 million meals nationwide. Nearly 50 million people in the U.S.—including about 14 million children—experience food insecurity, according to the organization.
Verizon is also running an on-site activation outside Ford Field, where fans can help assemble hunger-relief kits before kickoff. Volunteers will be packing bags in Pride Plaza from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.