Ratings surge: NFL viewership up 17%

NFL and network executives expected ratings to increase this season. But the rate through the first four weeks has still taken many by surprise.

Games are averaging 17.3 million viewers on television and digital, a whopping 17% increase over last season and 3% compared to two years ago.

The league has had the top 21 rated shows since the start of the season. The top two games have featured Tom Brady and the Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brady’s return to New England last Sunday was the biggest draw, averaging 26.7 million viewers, with the season opener against Dallas second at 24.8 million.

The Bucs-Patriots game was NBC’s second-most watched match since it started airing the “Sunday Night Football” package in 2006.

Four of the five league broadcasters have growth above 20%. The three NFL Network Thursday night games averaged 8.1 million, which is up 29% from last season and the highest average since 2018.

NBC’s package is at 23.1 million, an increase of 24% and its best average at this point of the season since 2015. CBS (17.87 million) and ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” (14.2 million) are both up 22%,

Fox has the highest Sunday afternoon average at 18 million, but that is an increase of 2% from last season.