Chiefs-Cowboys set NFL regular season game viewing record on Thanksgiving

Last Thanksgiving, America enjoyed NFL football.

Thursday set several viewing records, including the most-watched regular season NFL game in history. CBS' telecast of the Dallas Cowboys' 31-28 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs was watched by 57.2 million viewers, according to Nielsen.

That figure surpassed the 42 million viewers who watched the Cowboys meet the New York Giants, a Thanksgiving Day game that aired on Fox in 2022.

Fox also celebrated the new record early in the holiday game between the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers. The Packers' 31-24 victory in the NFC North showdown averaged 47.1 million viewers.

Data from NBC's primetime game featuring quarterback Joe Burrow, who led the Cincinnati Bengals to a 32-14 upset win over the Baltimore Ravens, will be released this Thursday.

The NFL benefited from a change in Nielsen's audience measurement methodology, which now includes viewing on digital devices and Internet-connected televisions. The data also includes out-of-home viewing, which is especially relevant for live sports.

Heading into the Thanksgiving weekend, NFL telecasts averaged 17.7 million viewers, up 6% from last year and the highest since 2015. “Thursday Night Football” which streams on Prime Video averages 14.85 million, up 12%.

In terms of relative strength, the NFL dominates. Since the start of the current season, NFL programming has accounted for 48 of the 50 most-watched programs on television, according to Nielsen.

The strong results help the NFL renew its media rights agreement with the networks and streaming platforms that air its games.

The league has the option to waive the current Contract for 11 years after the 2029/30 season. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has expressed interest in renegotiating as soon as possible.

The contract is currently worth $111 billion to the league over its life.