We all know Thanksgiving is about turkey, family and football

The National Football League is working hard to satisfy the nation's appetite for the latter. A busy NFL lineup is slated for the next few days — with three games on Thanksgiving day, the first-ever game on Black Friday and a full set of match-ups on Sunday.

"I think people want more football, but I think it's all calculated," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who spoke exclusively with "CBS Mornings" ahead of the games.

"These are calculated, strategic, and they're intentional to give people bigger events, more events, and to gather around football," Goodell said. "That's why it goes so well with Thanksgiving. It's people coming together."

Ratings and Revenue on the Rise

Overall, ratings and revenue are up for the league, which is seeing rising popularity thanks in part to an unusual source off the field: Pop star Taylor Swift, who recently took her relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce public. Swift has attended some of Kelce's recent games, even sitting with his family, and fans have been eager to spot her in attendance.

Goodell said Swift is an "unbelievable artist," and that Kelce is an "unbelievable player."

The NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell, has expressed his support for Taylor Swift's relationship with a professional football player, stating that it has brought more attention and fans to both Swift and the NFL. Goodell believes that the connection between Swift and the NFL is beneficial for the league, especially as they prepare for the upcoming Super Bowl in Las Vegas and their expansion into new overseas markets. Goodell also addressed the issue of player safety, emphasizing the importance of removing techniques that lead to injuries and ensuring that parents are aware of the league's efforts to improve safety for young players.

Goodell expressed his belief that the NFL game has become more physical, faster, and stronger than ever before. However, he stressed the need to eliminate techniques that directly contribute to injuries. He also highlighted the importance of educating parents about the league's safety measures to ensure that young football players can play the sport safely.

"What we want parents to know is what we've done to make the game safer, the techniques we're taking out, how we're coaching the game, how we're using our platform to make all of sports safer," a representative said. "I think those are the positive things. There's been tremendous transformation that I think is incredibly positive, whether it's in equipment, or whether it's in rules, whether it's in techniques and coaching, whether it's in the research that we're bringing back...That is something that we're incredibly proud of, and we're going to continue to do that." 

The representative said they hope at the end of their career they're remembered for everything that they've done for the sport and the effort they've made to leave it in a better place. 

"I came to this as an intern in the industry. I love it more than I did when I came in," the representative said. "I just, I believe it has so many positive attributes. You see how it brings communities together. I think we've made the game better for our players, our teams, our partners and for the fans, most importantly. I think we see that in the numbers. And that's what drives us every day to continue to try to get better."