Unprecedented Audience Engagement in NFL’s Opening Week

The National Football League (NFL) made history in its kickoff week, attracting an average of 21.0 million viewers per game, setting a new record for Week 1 viewership. According to data released by the NFL and Nielsen on Wednesday, the audience numbers represented a significant 12% jump from the previous year across both television and digital platforms. In total, a staggering 123 million individuals tuned in to catch at least part of one game, marking the highest audience reach for a Week 1 since 2019.

NFL Media’s Executive Vice President Expresses Excitement

Hans Schroeder, Executive Vice President of NFL Media, expressed his excitement about the impressive audience numbers. “It was a sensational start in terms of viewership. We are thrilled to be back, and there’s plenty to look forward to,” Schroeder commented.

NBC Records Highest-Viewed Game

The most-watched game belonged to NBC, which broadcasted the face-off between reigning Super Bowl champions, the Chiefs, and the Ravens. This game alone attracted an average of 29.2 million viewers across TV and digital platforms. This marks NBC’s second-highest viewership for a regular-season game since acquiring the “Sunday Night Football” package in 2006.

Lions vs Rams and Brady’s Debut as Fox Analyst

The Sunday night game between the Lions and the Rams, which saw Detroit triumph 26-20 in overtime, averaged 22.7 million viewers, a 3% increase from last year. Tom Brady’s debut as Fox’s lead analyst, during the Cowboys’ 33-17 victory over the Browns, averaged 23.93 million viewers. Fox’s doubleheader games averaged 18.64 million viewers, marking the best kickoff week for the network since 2020.

CBS Records Highest Singleheader Since 1998

CBS averaged 17.79 million viewers across its six games, the highest viewership for Week 1 singleheader since it regained NFL rights in 1998. CBS’ affiliates predominantly aired games in the 1 p.m. EDT window, with New York, Chicago, Atlanta, and Pittsburgh airing Jim Harbaugh’s debut as Chargers coach against the Raiders at 4:05 p.m. EDT.

The Eagles Triumph and Peacock’s Second-Most Watched Live Event

The Eagles’ 34-29 victory over the Packers, the first Friday night Week 1 game in 54 years, averaged 14.0 million viewers on Peacock and NBC affiliates in Philadelphia, Green Bay, and Milwaukee. This event marked the second-most-watched live event in Peacock’s four-year history, trailing only last season’s AFC wild card round game between Kansas City and Miami.

“Monday Night Football” and Viewer Expectations

Despite a carriage dispute between DirecTV and Disney, “Monday Night Football” on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN+ averaged 20.4 million viewers for the 49ers’ 32-19 victory over the Jets. This was a decrease from the 22.7 million viewers for last year’s opener between the Jets and Buffalo. Nevertheless, Schroeder remained optimistic, stating, “The numbers surpassed our expectations. The response was excellent, and the game was thrilling. Starting on a new night and slot, we believe it was an exceptional beginning for us.”