One of the more surprising results in recent NFL history delivered a three-year ratings high for CBS.
Sunday’s Bengals-Chiefs AFC Championship Game averaged a 23.6 rating and 47.85 million viewers on CBS, marking the highest rated conference title game in three years (Patriots-Chiefs: 27.5; Rams-Saints: 24.5) and the highest rated NFL telecast of the season entering the Super Bowl.
Cincinnati’s comeback, overtime win — which peaked with a whopping 60.99 million viewers — also ranks as the most-watched early conference title game (3 PM ET) since Patriots-Broncos in 2016 (53.30M). Ratings and viewership rose 3% and 2% respectively from last year’s early window on FOX (Buccaneers-Packers: 23.0, 46.97M) and 2% and 16% respectively from Titans-Chiefs on CBS two years ago (23.1, 41.10M).
Keep in mind this is the first year Nielsen has included accurate out-of-home data in its viewership estimates. Nielsen did not begin including out-of-home data until September of 2020 and has admitted to undercounting the OOH audience through December of last year. The comparison to last year is apples-to-apples as the listed figure for Buccaneers-Packers is Nielsen’s revised, corrected number. The comparison to two years ago remains apples-to-oranges it does not include any out-of-home viewing at all. All household ratings comparisons are apples-to-apples as the household rating (by definition) does not include any out-of-home data.
CBS finished its season with four of the five largest audiences on any network, with Bengals-Chiefs second, Bills-Chiefs in the Divisional Round third (42.74M), 49ers-Cowboys in the Wild Card round fourth (41.50M) and Raiders-Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day fifth (40.80M). While Sunday’s game was the highest rated of the season, it ranked second in viewership behind the 49ers-Rams NFC Championship on FOX (50.23M).
CBS averaged 21.05 million viewers across the regular season and playoffs, up 13% from last year and the highest average among NFL broadcast partners. The network benefited from airing the Cowboys’ Thanksgiving Day game (usually the most-watched game of the regular season) and the late Sunday afternoon window on the first two weekends of the playoffs.
All twelve NFL playoff games entering the Super Bowl have posted an increase in ratings and viewership.
[Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 2.1, CBS Sports]
