This time around, network sports honchos take staggering NFL ratings in stride

New England Patriots

The viewership details of the NFL’s final Nielsen ratings for 2025 are so impressive that a recurrence of giddy self-congratulations would have been warranted.

By Chad Finn

January 10, 2026 | 12:17 PM

3 minutes to read

When the final viewership data became available for the NFL’s three Thanksgiving games this season, the numbers were so staggering that an impromptu conference call among the involved networks’ chief sports honchos was called to essentially bask in the success. I’d never realized back-slapping was possible over a phone call until then.

There was no such collective CEO celebration this week when the NFL’s final 2025 viewership numbers were released by Nielsen Media Research on Tuesday and Wednesday.

But this must be acknowledged: The viewership details are so impressive that a recurrence of giddy self-congratulations would have been warranted.

Overall, NFL broadcasts averaged 18.7 million viewers this season across all games aired or streamed by its weekly broadcast partners, up 10 percent over last year. That’s the second-highest average on record, trailing only 1989, when the broadcast landscape was considerably simpler. (Back then, the games aired on networks ABC, NBC, and CBS.)

It should be noted that Nielsen adjusted the way it tracks viewership this year, including an expanded measure of out-of-home viewing, such as bars and restaurants, and what is called “Big Data + Panel” methodology, which provides a combination of specific and broad information on viewers’ habits.

That more modern approach has affected viewership data positively, but the NFL numbers are massive by any measure. Of the 100 most-watched programs on television in 2025, 89 were NFL games.

Every NFL rights partner — NBC, CBS, Fox, ESPN, and Amazon — saw audience growth this year.

The individual breakdown:

NBC: “Sunday Night Football” averaged 23.5 million viewers for its NFL broadcasts, making it the No. 1 prime-time program for a record 15th straight year. If you were wondering, Fox’s “American Idol” has the second-longest run of all-time as the top show in prime time, finishing first six straight times from 2005-11.

CBS: Led all networks in viewership this season, averaging 21.25 million viewers for its broadcasts, up 11 percent over last season and the most in network history. Its 4:25 p.m. national window — which included the most-watched regular-season NFL game ever, the Cowboys-Chiefs Thanksgiving matchup (57.23 million) — was the No. 1 program on television, averaging 25.83 million viewers.

Fox: Averaged 18.44 million viewers, up 6 percent over last season and its best since 2015.

ESPN: Up 9 percent over 2024 with an average of 15.8 million viewers across its 21 games.

Amazon Prime: The streaming service saw a significant jump to an average of 15.3 million viewers, a 16 percent increase year over year.

Also, a local note of interest: Patriots broadcasts across all networks earned a 24.9 rating and 67.8 share in the Boston market during the regular season. Their 35-31 loss to the Bills in Week 15 was the most-watched broadcast locally, with a 31.4 rating and huge 78 share.

Peacocking for baseball

NBC is prepared to dominate sports television in February when it broadcasts the Winter Olympics and Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8. But like many of us, it’s also looking forward to summer and baseball season.

The network revealed its schedule of 61 total Major League Baseball broadcasts for the upcoming season, 20 of which will air on the main network. That includes an Opening Day doubleheader on March 26, with the Pirates and Mets squaring off at 1 p.m. before a prime-8 p.m. matchup between the Dodgers and Diamondbacks.

The Red Sox are slated to have five games on NBC and its streaming service Peacock, beginning with a June 14 clash with the Rangers at 7 p.m. The first Red Sox-Yankees broadcast on the networks will air two weeks later, on June 28 at 7 p.m.

NBC, which returns as a full-time MLB rights partner for the first time since 2000, seems intent on getting it right with its broadcasts. Reports suggested this week that the network is pursuing Jason Benetti as its lead play-by-play voice, which would be just about the best move it could make. He’s superb.

Full roster for Milan Cortina

The roster of broadcasters — 82 in all — was revealed by NBC for the upcoming Milan Cortina Games.

Among those with local ties are NBC Sports Boston’s Trenni Casey, who will host CNBC coverage for her sixth Olympics; Naoko Funayama will report on biathlon and ski jumping during her fourth Games; A.J. Mleczko and Angela Ruggiero will be analysts for women’s hockey, with Brian Boucher and former Bruin Anson Carter contributing as analysts for men’s hockey; Kathryn Tappen, formerly of NESN, will be the on-site hockey reporter in her seventh Olympics; and Carolyn Manno, an NBC Sports Boston alum, will host for USA Network, her sixth Games.

Chad Finn

Sports columnist

Chad Finn is a sports columnist for Boston.com. He has been voted Favorite Sports Writer in Boston in the annual Channel Media Market and Research Poll for the past four years. He also writes a weekly sports media column for the Globe and contributes to Globe Magazine.