Rivals Father Judge and Lincoln will end annual Thanksgiving football game
The Thanksgiving matchup, which has been played over the last 40 years, will end due to concerns about the “safety and security of players, referees, and attendees.”
Father Judge announced Thursday that, after more than 40 years, its annual Thanksgiving football game against rival Lincoln High is no more.
According to a letter addressed to alumni, Judge president Brian Patrick King wrote that both schools had “reached a joint agreement” due in part to concerns about the “safety and security of players, referees, and attendees.”
An official at Judge confirmed that the letter was authentic, but declined to comment further.
King also cited potential conflicts within the PIAA and District 12 schedules as well as affording dual-sport athletes nearly a month to rest as fall sports, such as football, transition into winter sports as secondary reasons for the decision. He added the decision has been considered for years.
“While this decision closes a lengthy chapter in high school competition between the two schools,” the letter reads, “it provides both schools the opportunity to chart a new course for the success of their student-athletes and their Athletic Departments.”