A long offseason of Patriots-related controversy resulted in record-tying numbers for the NFL Kickoff Game.
The Steelers/Patriots NFL Kickoff Game earned a 17.7 overnight rating on NBC Thursday night, up 5% from Packers/Seahawks last year (16.8), up 9% from Ravens/Broncos in 2013 (16.2), and tied as the highest ever for the opening game — matching Vikings/Saints in 2010.
Overall, the 17.7 is tied as the third-highest regular season NFL overnight on NBC since the network resumed airing games in 2006. Only a pair of 2012 games drew a higher overnight — Cowboys/Washington in Week 17 (18.3) and Steelers/Broncos in Week 1 (18.0).
The last time the Patriots played the Kickoff Game was ten years earlier when they hosted the Raiders on ABC. That game had a 13.1 overnight in admittedly a different era for the NFL on television.
Boston was Thursday’s top market with a 39.5 rating, followed by Pittsburgh (34.5) and Providence (34.1). Baltimore was the top neutral market with a 24.4, with Richmond rounding out the top five at 23.9.
(Thu. numbers from NBC Sports)
