Ratings and viewership for every NFL playoff game over the past decade (from the 2001-02 season through the 2011-12 season).
The 2012 NFL playoffs averaged approximately 44.3 million viewers across NBC, FOX and CBS, slightly down from last year. The postseason included the most-viewed Wild Card game ever (PIT/DEN: 42.371M, CBS), the most-viewed Divisional Round game ever (NYG/GB: 45.120M, FOX), the second-most viewed Conference Championship game in thirty years (NYG/SF: 57.635M, FOX), and the most-viewed television program in U.S. history (NYG/NE: 111.346M, NBC).
Five playoff games this year earned over 40 million viewers, the largest total of the past decade. As recently as the 2005-06 season, only one playoff game hit that mark — the Super Bowl.
Ratings/Viewership For NFL Playoff Games
Past decade
| Date | Time | Game | Net | Rating | Viewers (000) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-12 season | |||||
| Sat., 1/7/12 | 4:30 PM | CIN 10, HOU 31 |
NBC
|
13.5
|
21,893
|
| 8 PM | DET 28, NO 45 |
NBC
|
18.2
|
31,780
|
|
| Sun., 1/8/12 | 1 PM | ATL 2, NYG 24 |
FOX
|
17.3
|
27,735
|
| 4:30 PM | PIT 23, DEN 29 |
CBS
|
24.0
|
42,371
|
|
| Sat., 1/14/12 | 4:30 PM | NO 32, SF 36 |
FOX
|
20.5
|
35,601
|
| 8 PM | DEN 10, NE 45 |
CBS
|
18.5
|
34,161
|
|
| Sun., 1/15/12 | 1 PM | HOU 13, BAL 20 |
CBS
|
19.0
|
30,963
|
| 4:30 PM | NYG 37, GB 20 |
FOX
|
25.3
|
45,120
|
|
| Sun., 1/22/12 | 3 PM | BAL 20, NE 23 |
CBS
|
27.4
|
48,676
|
| 6:30 PM | NYG 20, SF 17 |
FOX
|
30.6
|
57,635
|
|
| Sun., 2/5/12 | 6:30 PM | NYG 21, NE 17 |
NBC
|
47.0
|
111,346
|
| 2010-11 season | |||||
| Sat., 1/8/11 | 4:30 PM | NO 36, SEA 41 |
NBC
|
16.8
|
28,304
|
| 8 PM | NYJ 17, IND 16 |
NBC
|
18.7
|
33,350
|
|
| Sun., 1/9/11 | 1 PM | BAL 30, KC 7 |
CBS
|
17.1
|
28,384
|
| 4:30 PM | GB 21, PHI 16 |
FOX
|
22.1
|
39,274
|
|
| Sat., 1/15/11 | 4:30 PM | BAL 24, PIT 31 |
CBS
|
19.4
|
34,009
|
| 8 PM | GB 48, ATL 21 |
FOX
|
17.0
|
30,817
|
|
| Sun., 1/16/11 | 1 PM | SEA 24, CHI 35 |
FOX
|
19.1
|
32,493
|
| 4:30 PM | NYJ 28, NE 21 |
CBS
|
24.2
|
43,463
|
|
| Sun., 1/23/11 | 3 PM | GB 21, CHI 14 |
FOX
|
28.1
|
51,884
|
| 6:30 PM | NYJ 19, PIT 24 |
CBS
|
28.3
|
54,850
|
|
| Sun., 2/6/11 | 6:30 PM | GB 31, PIT 25 |
FOX
|
46.0
|
111,010
|
| 2009-10 season | |||||
| Sat., 1/9/10 | 4:30 PM | NYJ 24, CIN 14 |
NBC
|
15.2
|
25,048
|
| 8 PM | PHI 14, DAL 34 | NBC |
18.0
|
32,124
|
|
| Sun., 1/10/10 | 1 PM | BAL 33, NE 14 | CBS |
16.9
|
27,413
|
| 4:30 PM | GB 45, ARI 51 | FOX |
19.6
|
34,406
|
|
| Sat., 1/16/10 | 4:30 PM | ARI 14, NO 45 | FOX |
16.1
|
27,910
|
| 8 PM | BAL 3, IND 20 | CBS |
17.0
|
30,569
|
|
| Sun., 1/17/10 | 1 PM | DAL 3, MIN 34 | FOX |
22.0
|
37,669
|
| 4:30 PM | NYJ 17, SD 14 | CBS |
20.1
|
35,627
|
|
| Sun., 1/24/10 | 3 PM | NYJ 17, IND 30 | CBS |
26.3
|
46,917
|
| 6:30 PM | MIN 28, NO 31 | FOX |
30.6
|
57,933
|
|
| Sun., 2/7/10 | 6:30 PM | NO 31, IND 17 |
CBS
|
45.0
|
106,476
|
| 2008-09 season | |||||
| Sat., 1/4/09 | 4:30 PM | ATL 24, ARI 30 | NBC |
13.1
|
20,953
|
| 8 PM | IND 17, SD 23 | NBC |
16.1
|
27,792
|
|
| Sun., 1/5/09 | 1 PM | BAL 27, MIA 9 | CBS |
15.0
|
23,893
|
| 4:30 PM | PHI 26, MIN 14 | FOX |
17.6
|
30,026
|
|
| Sat., 1/10/09 | 4:30 PM | BAL 13, TEN 10 | CBS |
15.4
|
25,453
|
| 8 PM | ARI 33, CAR 13 | FOX |
13.8
|
23,776
|
|
| Sun., 1/11/09 | 1 PM | PHI 23, NYG 11 | FOX |
18.7
|
31,358
|
| 4:30 PM | SD 24, PIT 35 | CBS |
19.6
|
34,107
|
|
| Sun., 1/18/09 | 3 PM | PHI 25, ARI 32 | FOX |
21.9
|
38,387
|
| 6:30 PM | BAL 14, PIT 23 | CBS |
22.0
|
40,645
|
|
| Sun., 2/1/09 | 6:30 PM | PIT 27, ARI 23 |
NBC
|
42.0
|
98,732
|
| 2007-08 season | |||||
| Sat., 1/5/08 | 4:30 PM | WSH 14, SEA 35 | NBC |
14.0
|
22,994
|
| 8 PM | JAX 31, PIT 29 | NBC |
15.0
|
25,736
|
|
| Sun., 1/6/08 | 1 PM | NYG 24, TB 14 | FOX |
15.1
|
22,973
|
| 4:30 PM | TEN 6, SD 17 | CBS |
16.7
|
26,628
|
|
| Sat., 1/12/08 | 4:30 PM | SEA 20, GB 42 | FOX |
17.0
|
28,200
|
| 8 PM | JAX 20, NE 31 | CBS |
17.9
|
30,896
|
|
| Sun., 1/13/08 | 1 PM | SD 28, IND 24 | CBS |
20.2
|
31,573
|
| 4:30 PM | NYG 21, DAL 17 | FOX |
23.6
|
40,063
|
|
| Sun., 1/20/08 | 3 PM | SD 12, NE 21 | CBS |
25.7
|
44,840
|
| 6:30 PM | NYG 23, GB 20 | FOX |
29.0
|
53,937
|
|
| Sun., 2/3/08 | 6:30 PM | NYG 17, NE 14 | FOX |
43.1
|
97,448
|
| 2006-07 season | |||||
| Sat., 1/6/07 | 4:30 PM | KC 8, IND 23 | NBC |
12.6
|
19,700
|
| 8 PM | DAL 20, SEA 21 | NBC |
16.4
|
26,767
|
|
| Sun., 1/7/07 | 1 PM | NYJ 16, NE 37 | CBS |
17.3
|
?
|
| 4:30 PM | NYG 20, PHI 23 | FOX |
18.2
|
29,704
|
|
| Sat., 1/13/07 | 4:30 PM | IND 15, BAL 6 | CBS |
16.4
|
26,198
|
| 8 PM | PHI 24, NO 27 | FOX |
16.3
|
27,440
|
|
| Sun., 1/14/07 | 1 PM | SEA 24, CHI 27 | FOX |
19.9
|
31,594
|
| 4:30 PM | NE 24, SD 21 | CBS |
20.6
|
34,219
|
|
| Sun., 1/21/07 | 3 PM | NO 14, CHI 39 | FOX |
25.1
|
43,247
|
| 6:30 PM | NE 34, IND 38 | CBS |
26.4
|
46,695
|
|
| Sun., 2/4/07 | 6:30 PM | IND 29, CHI 17 | CBS |
42.6
|
93,184
|
| 2005-06 season | |||||
| Sat., 1/7/06 | 4:30 PM | WSH 17, TB 10 | ABC |
14.2
|
21,818
|
| 8 PM | JAX 3, NE 28 | ABC |
13.9
|
22,551
|
|
| Sun., 1/8/06 | 1 PM | CAR 23, NYG 0 | FOX |
15.1
|
22,773
|
| 4:30 PM | PIT 31, CIN 17 | CBS |
18.9
|
30,369
|
|
| Sat., 1/14/06 | 4:30 PM | WSH 10, SEA 20 | FOX |
15.8
|
24,269
|
| 8 PM | NE 13, DEN 27 | CBS |
16.1
|
26,254
|
|
| Sun., 1/15/06 | 1 PM | PIT 21, IND 18 | CBS |
20.9
|
33,861
|
| 4:30 PM | CAR 29, CHI 21 | FOX |
19.7
|
32,699
|
|
| Sun., 1/22/06 | 3 PM | PIT 34, DEN 17 | CBS |
23.6
|
39,001
|
| 6:30 PM | CAR 14, SEA 34 | FOX |
20.8
|
35,233
|
|
| Sun., 2/5/06 | 6:30 PM | PIT 21, SEA 10 | ABC |
41.6
|
90,745
|
| 2004-05 season | |||||
| Sat., 1/8/05 | 4:30 PM | STL 27, SEA 20 | ABC |
14.6
|
21,882
|
| 8 PM | NYJ 20, SD 17 | ABC |
16.0
|
25,763
|
|
| Sun., 1/9/05 | 1 PM | DEN 34, IND 49 | CBS |
16.3
|
24,946
|
| 4:30 PM | MIN 31, GB 17 | FOX |
18.4
|
30,099
|
|
| Sat., 1/15/05 | 4:30 PM | NYJ 17, PIT 20 | CBS |
18.2
|
29,401
|
| 8 PM | STL 17, ATL 47 | FOX |
14.0
|
23,700
|
|
| Sun., 1/16/05 | 1 PM | MIN 14, PHI 27 | FOX |
19.4
|
29,968
|
| 4:30 PM | IND 3, NE 20 | CBS |
23.2
|
37,980
|
|
| Sun., 1/23/05 | 3 PM | ATL 10, PHI 27 | FOX |
25.8
|
42,937
|
| 6:30 PM | NE 41, PIT 27 | CBS |
25.8
|
44,334
|
|
| Sun., 2/6/05 | 6:30 PM | NE 24, PHI 21 | FOX |
41.1
|
86,072
|
| 2003-04 season | |||||
| Sat., 1/3/04 | 4:30 PM | TEN 20, BAL 17 | ABC |
14.6
|
22,654
|
| 8 PM | DAL 10, CAR 29 | ABC |
15.4
|
24,664
|
|
| Sun., 1/4/04 | 1 PM | SEA 27, GB 33 | FOX |
19.1
|
29,313
|
| 4:30 PM | DEN 10, IND 41 | CBS |
16.5
|
26,150
|
|
| Sat., 1/10/04 | 4:30 PM | CAR 29, STL 23 | FOX |
16.6
|
25,362
|
| 8 PM | TEN 14, NE 17 | CBS |
15.9
|
25,915
|
|
| Sun., 1/11/04 | 1 PM | IND 38, KC 31 | CBS |
19.7
|
30,458
|
| 4:30 PM | GB 17, PHI 20 | FOX |
23.8
|
39,487
|
|
| Sun., 1/18/04 | 3 PM | IND 14, NE 24 | CBS |
24.7
|
40,115
|
| 6:30 PM | CAR 14, PHI 3 | FOX |
23.2
|
40,444
|
|
| Sun., 2/1/04 | 6:30 PM | NE 32, CAR 29 | CBS |
41.4
|
89,795
|
| 2002-03 season | |||||
| Sat., 1/4/03 | 4:30 PM | IND 0, NYJ 41 | ABC |
13.0
|
19,663
|
| 8 PM | ATL 27, GB 7 | ABC |
16.0
|
26,319
|
|
| Sun., 1/5/03 | 1 PM | CLE 33, PIT 36 | CBS |
18.1
|
27,450
|
| 4:30 PM | NYG 38, SF 39 | FOX |
18.2
|
29,834
|
|
| Sat., 1/11/03 | 4:30 PM | PIT 31, TEN 34 | CBS |
18.1
|
28,514
|
| 8 PM | ATL 6, PHI 20 | FOX |
14.8
|
24,931
|
|
| Sun., 1/12/03 | 1 PM | SF 6, TB 31 | FOX |
18.3
|
28,120
|
| 4:30 PM | NYJ 10, OAK 30 | CBS |
22.1
|
35,137
|
|
| Sun., 1/19/03 | 3 PM | TB 10, PHI 27 | FOX |
23.8
|
38,741
|
| 6:30 PM | TEN 24, OAK 41 | CBS |
24.6
|
41,456
|
|
| Sun., 1/26/03 | 6:30 PM | TB 48, OAK 21 | ABC |
40.7
|
88,637
|
| 2001-02 season | |||||
| Sat., 1/12/02 | 4:30 PM | TB 9, PHI 31 | ABC |
13.1
|
n/a
|
| 8 PM | NYJ 24, OAK 38 | ABC |
13.9
|
22,029
|
|
| Sun., 1/13/02 | 1 PM | SF 15, GB 25 | FOX |
16.8
|
n/a
|
| 4:30 PM | BAL 20, MIA 3 | CBS |
16.8
|
n/a
|
|
| Sat., 1/19/02 | 4:30 PM | PHI 33, CHI 19 | FOX |
17.1
|
26,610
|
| 8 PM | OAK 13, NE 16 | CBS |
17.4
|
28,723
|
|
| Sun., 1/20/02 | 1 PM | BAL 10, PIT 27 | CBS |
17.9
|
27,048
|
| 4:30 PM | GB 17, STL 45 | FOX |
19.5
|
30,801
|
|
| Sun., 1/27/02 | 12:30 PM | NE 24, PIT 17 | CBS |
21.2
|
33,313
|
| 4 PM | PHI 24, STL 29 | FOX |
22.7
|
37,429
|
|
| Sun., 2/3/02 | 6:30 PM | NE 20, STL 17 | FOX |
40.4
|
86,801
|
