In a stretched out Week 15, viewership increased for Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and even Tuesday night football.
Tuesday’s regionalized pair of NFL makeup games — Washington-Philadelphia in 69% of markets and Seahawks-Rams in 30% — averaged 14.90 million viewers on FOX, marking the league’s most-watched makeup game window since a Tuesday night Vikings-Eagles game on NBC in 2010 (23.7M). Ratings were not immediately available.
Viewership surpassed all five of last year’s makeup windows, including a Tuesday night Cowboys-Ravens game on FOX (13.54M).
It bears noting that prior to last year, it was relatively rare for NFL games to be rescheduled.
The Tuesday games capped an elongated Week 15 of the scheduled that hearkened back to last year’s scheduling chaos. The previous night, a rescheduled Raiders-Browns game on NFL Network averaged 5.86 million — actually up 29% from Bills-Broncos in a Saturday afternoon slot last year (4.53M). Keep in mind last year’s game faced unusual college football conference championship competition.
The regularly-scheduled Vikings-Bears Monday Night Football game turned in 15.84 million across ESPN and ABC, marking the most-watched Week 15 edition of MNF in a decade (2011 Steelers-49ers: 16.68M). Keep in mind previous games aired on ESPN alone.
Viewership increased 25% from Steelers-Bengals last year (12.72M) and 43% from 2019 (Colts-Saints: 11.06M), games that — to reiterate — aired on ESPN alone. MNF is now averaging 13.5 million viewers for the season, up 12% from last year and 8% from 2019.
In other primetime action, Saints-Buccaneers drew a 10.1 rating and 18.06 million viewers on NBC’s Sunday Night Football — up 16% in both measures from last year (Browns-Giants: 8.7, 15.61M) but down slightly from 2019 (Bills-Steelers: 10.5, 18.14M). It was NBC’s second-straight game with a double-digit rating and at least 18 million viewers after the network went nine-straight Sunday nights without hitting either mark.
Broadcast television’s final Thursday Night Football game for the foreseeable future (Chiefs-Chargers) drew a 10.0 and 17.86 million — up 32% in ratings and 38% in viewership from last year (Chargers-Raiders: 7.6, 12.96M) and up a third and 47% respectively from 2019 (Jets-Ravens: 7.5, 12.14M).
Rounding out the primetime slate, Patriots-Colts drew a 3.7 and 7.26 million on NFL Network last Saturday night — up 28% and 29% respectively from last year opposite the SEC Championship (Panthers-Packers: 2.9, 5.61M).
Even in a strong week for primetime, the most-watched NFL window was in the afternoon. FOX drew an 11.6 and 22.01 million for Packers-Ravens in its national window, down 9% in ratings and 4% in viewership from last year (Chiefs-Saints: 12.7, 22.94M) and down 11% and 4% respectively from 2019 (mostly Rams-Cowboys: 13.1, 23.02M).
Earlier in the day, the first half of the FOX doubleheader (mostly Cowboys-Giants) drew a 7.6 (-13%) and 14.06 million (-9%) and the CBS singleheader (mostly Titans-Steelers) chipped in a 7.0 (-17%) and 12.92 million (-15%).
For the full list of 2021 NFL ratings, see this page.
[Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily, network PR]
