The Week 1 opener between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens was not only thrilling—it was a historic event.
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According to a statement from NBC on Friday, this matchup boasted the highest viewership for an NFL season opener, averaging 28.9 million viewers across NBC and Peacock, with 33 million tuning in during the peak second quarter.
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The game faced a weather delay of about 20 minutes before kicking off in Kansas City, but the energy on the field was palpable throughout the three-hour showdown.
Though the Chiefs led for most of the game, the Ravens kept the pressure on until the very end. With the Ravens down 27-20, quarterback Lamar Jackson found tight end Isaiah Likely in the end zone as time expired. However, a review showed likely stepped out of bounds, ending the game and handing the Chiefs a 1-0 season start.
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Postgame, Likely voiced his frustration, suggesting that the Ravens had more potential: “This is probably the worst game we’re gonna play all year. If this is the best they got, good luck in the postseason.”
It’s worth noting this was a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship Game, where the Chiefs also came out on top, 17-10.
NBC also stated that Thursday’s contest was the second most simulstreamed NFL game ever, surpassing three Super Bowls, with only Super Bowl LVI drawing more viewers.
In fact, this game surpassed the viewership of last year’s opener between the Chiefs and Lions, which averaged 27.5 million viewers, by 5%.
As the NFL’s opening weekend kicks off with a bang, it’s not over yet. Tonight, the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles will play the league’s first-ever game in Brazil, marking the first Friday opening weekend game in over 50 years.
This exciting game is set to start at 5:15 p.m. PT/8:15 p.m. ET and will be available on Peacock.
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