When the National Football League positioned its widely followed franchise against its acclaimed quarterback on a holiday traditionally associated with leisure and sports viewing, it achieved remarkable viewership. CBS experienced precisely this on Thanksgiving Day when an impressive 57.2 million individuals tuned in to watch the Dallas Cowboys face the Kansas City Chiefs during Week 13.
This number surpassed the previous record for the most-viewed regular-season NFL contest of all time, according to reports. More accurately, the Chiefs and Cowboys dramatically exceeded the prior benchmark, which was set by a 2022 Thanksgiving Day matchup between the Cowboys and the New York Giants. That previous game attracted 42 million viewers.
The record-breaking numbers shouldn’t have been surprising, as the NFL strategically aimed for significant viewership on Thanksgiving, according to sources. The league consciously scheduled its two most-watched teams to compete on the most-watched day of the NFL season. This strategy yielded substantial results.
The entire day proved to be highly successful for the NFL, as the earlier Thanksgiving Day game, showcasing the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions, garnered 47.7 million viewers. This game briefly held the record until the Chiefs-Cowboys game surpassed it.
Those who tuned in to watch the Cowboys and Chiefs compete witnessed a close game. After falling behind by a touchdown, the Chiefs rallied to take the lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter. However, the Cowboys responded, building a 10-point advantage with approximately five minutes remaining. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes managed to work his magic, reducing the deficit to three points, but did not have another opportunity to lead a game-winning or game-tying drive, as the Cowboys managed to run out the clock and secure a 31-28 victory.
The league anticipates substantial viewership for its subsequent game, which featured the Philadelphia Eagles and the Buffalo Bills. Those ratings are expected to arrive Thursday.
It’s also important to consider that Nielsen—the company responsible for measuring media ratings—updated its methodology, potentially contributing to the NFL’s higher viewership numbers on Thanksgiving, as reported.
Nevertheless, it is a noteworthy achievement for the NFL. Attracting over 50 million viewers to any event in the current media landscape is a considerable accomplishment, one the NFL may find challenging to surpass in the foreseeable future.
