or


[09/14/26 - 09:50 AM]
NFL Kickoff Game on NBC and Peacock Featuring Patriots-Seahawks Tops 25 Million Viewers for Fourth Consecutive Year
In addition, NBC Sports delivered the largest NFL Kickoff Game audience among Adults 18-49 since 2021, averaging 10.0 million viewers in the key demographic across NBC, Peacock, NBC Sports Digital and NFL Digital properties.
[via press release from NBC Sports]

NFL KICKOFF GAME ON NBC AND PEACOCK FEATURING PATRIOTS-SEAHAWKS TOPS 25 MILLION VIEWERS FOR FOURTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR

NBC Sports Delivers Largest Adult 18-49 Audience for NFL Kickoff Game in 5 Years

Audience for Seahawks' 13-10 Victory over Patriots in Super Bowl LX Rematch Peaked at 27.4 Million Viewers in Second Quarter

Patriots-Seahawks Viewership Topped Only Prior Wednesday NFL Kickoff Game by 5%

STAMFORD, Conn. - Sept. 14, 2026 - The NFL Kickoff Game, featuring the Seattle Seahawks' down-to-the-wire 13-10 victory over the New England Patriots last Wednesday in a Super Bowl LX rematch, delivered an average audience topping 25 million viewers (25.1 million) for the fourth consecutive season on NBC and Peacock, based on Nielsen Big Data inclusive of first party data.

Four consecutive NFL Kickoff games topping 25 million viewers matches the NBC Sports' record (2013-16 openers).

In addition, NBC Sports delivered the largest NFL Kickoff Game audience among Adults 18-49 since 2021, averaging 10.0 million viewers in the key demographic across NBC, Peacock, NBC Sports Digital and NFL Digital properties.

Following are additional audience metrics for the 21st consecutive NFL season opener broadcast by NBC:

· Viewership peaked at 27.4 million viewers from 9-9:15 p.m. ET, as the Patriots built a 7-0 lead in the lowest scoring first half in the 21 NFL Kickoff Games on NBC.

· The Patriots-Seahawks game (8:23-11:27 p.m. ET) was only the second NFL Kickoff on a Wednesday, with the audience topping the prior "hump day" matchup by 5% (23.9 million for Cowboys-Giants in 2012).

· Telemundo's Spanish-language broadcast of Patriots-Seahawks averaged an additional 423,000 viewers.

TOP METERED MARKETS FOR PATRIOTS-SEAHAWKS:

1. Providence 23.3/58
2. Boston 23.1/61
3. Seattle 22.0/64
4. Buffalo 18.4/42
5. Pittsburgh 15.2/37
6. Kansas City 14.5/40
T7. New Orleans 14.2/36
T7. Minneapolis 14.2/41
9. Detroit 13.9/41
10. Denver 13.5/47

--NBC SPORTS--





  [september 2026]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
  


· SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL (NBC)




most recent ratings | view all posts
[10/27/26 - 03:36 PM]
College Football on FOX Scores Big Numbers in Week 8
7,015,000 viewers tuned into FOX "Big Noon Saturday" for Indiana's win over Michigan.
[10/27/26 - 03:14 PM]
FOX's "America's Game of the Week" Roars with 24,670,000 Viewers in Week 7
The network's Sunday window ranks as the #1 program in all of television through the first seven weeks of the season (24,749,000 average).
[10/27/26 - 03:03 PM]
No Time Like October: FOX Sports Drives in 12,259,000 Viewers for Game 1 and 10,854,000 Viewers for Game 2
Both telecasts were the most-watched of their respective days on any network.
[10/27/26 - 02:59 PM]
NBC and Peacock Deliver Most-Watched WNBA Finals Game 4 Ever
Led by Gabby Williams' 17 points, Golden State's 67-62 win over Atlanta peaked at 2.5 million viewers for the game's exciting conclusion from 3:30-3:45 p.m. ET.
[10/27/26 - 02:40 PM]
"College GameDay Built by The Home Depot" Continues Record-Setting Season; ESPN Networks Deliver Three of the Top Five Games Across All Nets
Ole Miss/Texas (8.1 million) was the top game of the week and added to ESPN's nine total games this season with 8+ million viewers.
[10/27/26 - 02:06 PM]
Chiefs-Seahawks Is Most Watched Week 7 NBC "Sunday Night Football" Game Since 2013, Averaging 26.3 Million Viewers on NBC & Peacock
The audience peaked at 29.0 million viewers on NBC and Peacock in the second quarter (9:30-9:45 p.m. ET).
[10/27/26 - 01:01 PM]
"Crystal Lake" Makes Killer Debut on Peacock
"Crystal Lake" has generated 1.3 billion minutes watched over its first 11 days, making it the fourth highest scripted original series ever on Peacock.
[10/26/26 - 11:32 AM]
ESPN's NBA Opening Week Delivered Its Largest Audience Since 2014
The Philadelphia 76ers' victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers averaged 2.5 million viewers, up 26% from last year's comparable game.
[10/26/26 - 09:26 AM]
"CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton" Scores Nearly 5 Million Total Viewers on ABC and Disney+
The special ranked No. 1 in Total Viewers from 9-11 p.m. (4.74 million), leading its closest competitors in the timeslot by double digits.
[10/23/26 - 03:54 PM]
ESPN's NBA Opening Wednesday Delivered Its Second-Largest Audience Ever
The Minnesota Timberwolves' victory over the Miami Heat averaged 2.52 million viewers, up 16% from last year's comparable game.
[10/23/26 - 03:25 PM]
USA Sports Delivers Most-Watched WNBA Finals Game 3 Since 1999, Best Ever on Cable
1.71 million viewers on average tuned into Wednesday night's Game 3 coverage across USA Sports' linear platforms (USA Network and CNBC) and streaming on Peacock.
[10/23/26 - 08:30 AM]
Record College Football Viewership Propels ESPN to Second Best Start Since 2011 with "College GameDay" on Track for Most-Watched Season Ever
ESPN networks are averaging 2.2 million viewers across 120 games on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU - the second-best start for ESPN since 2011.

[10/22/26 - 04:01 PM]
ABC News Wins Across Friday Night, Sunday Morning and Late-Night
"20/20: The Suitcase Murders" ranked as Friday's No. 1 newsmagazine in Total Viewers, Adults 25-54, and Adults 18-49.
[10/22/26 - 04:00 PM]
CBS Dominates Its Premiere Week in Seven-Day Multiplatform Viewership, Up +14% from Last Year, with Six Series Topping 10 Million Viewers
Among its broadcast competition, CBS claimed eight of the top 10 series.
[10/22/26 - 02:50 PM]
NBC Sports Delivers Most-Watched NBA Tip-Off Primetime Game Ever with 76ers-Knicks
Viewership peaked at 9.1 million - an NBA Tip-Off record - from 9:45-10:00 pm ET as the 76ers clinched the victory.