How NFL fans broke a crazy record in Week 1
The NFL broke its first record of the year after an average of 22.3 million people watched Week 1 games.
Week 1 of the NFL season has only just begun, and a record has already been broken. According to Nielsen, the global leader in audience measurement, the league set a new viewership mark for the opening weekend.
The matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles took top honors, drawing 28.3 million viewers for the NFL Kickoff. The defending Super Bowl champions edged Dak Prescott’s team 24-20 in a game where the Dallas quarterback delivered a strong performance.
The second most-watched game was the Baltimore Ravens’ clash with the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, which attracted 24.7 million viewers. Josh Allen engineered a dramatic comeback, erasing a 16-point deficit in the fourth quarter to secure a 41-40 win.
In third place was the divisional battle at Lambeau Field, where the Green Bay Packers defeated the Detroit Lions 27-13. That game was watched by 24.0 million people.
Network performance reflected the surge in demand. CBS, owned by Paramount, led the way with an average of 20.38 million viewers across its doubleheader on CBS Sports—an increase of 15% compared to last year.
All four major U.S. networks that broadcast the NFL (CBS, ESPN, Fox, and NBC) reported multi-year viewership gains during coverage on September 7 and 8, as the league returned following a turbulent but highly anticipated offseason.
🚨2025 NFL Week 1 Viewership🚨
— NFL Media (@NFLMedia) September 11, 2025
🏈22.3 million avg. viewers per game -- most-watched Week 1 on record, up +5% vs. 2024 & up +19% vs. 2023
🏈3rd straight Week 1 to have 4 games deliver over 20 million viewers
🏈Top 5 Games of Kickoff Weekend pic.twitter.com/ZoLs7KW9KO
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Fox contributed to the momentum with 17.9 million viewers for the Washington Commanders–New York Giants game.
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