Sunday's Chiefs-Bills Thriller Drew One of the Biggest Audiences in Years

Viewership numbers were north of 30 million.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen rushes to fire off a pass before a sack in a Nov. 17, 2024, game against the Kansas City Chiefs. / Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

If you tuned in to watch the Buffalo Bills unseat the Kansas City Chiefs last Sunday, congratulations: you were one of 31.2 million viewers, the best for an NFL regular season game, outside of holidays, since the undefeated New England Patriots played the undefeated Indianapolis Colts in 2007 (33.8 million).

The huge number was first reported by Sports Business Journal's Austin Karp. The game is now the "fourth-best national window on record for the NFL," and sits among the 10 best non-Thanksgiving games on record, Karp added.

MASSIVE number for Chiefs-Bills in the national window

31.2 million viewers on CBS. Outside Thanksgiving/Xmas, best NFL regular season game since CBS' Pats-Colts Week 9 in 2007 (33.8 million).

Also: Ravens-Steelers helps CBS to its best regional window since 1992 (19.8 million) pic.twitter.com/OY5PyUDB2a

— Austin Karp (@AustinKarp) November 19, 2024

For some added context, that number surpasses the viewership of the opening ceremony at this past summer's Olympic Games (28.6 million), the 2024 Academy Awards (19.5 million), and the 2024 College Football National Championship (25 million).

This #Bills #Chiefs regular season matchup drew a larger audience than the Olympic Opening Ceremonies (28mil), the College Football National Championship Game (22mil), the Academy Awards (18mil), and TRIPLED the average of the NBA Finals series. pic.twitter.com/31YNwDYEZS

— Air Raid | Buffalo (@TheBillsGuys) November 19, 2024

Prior to Sunday's thrilling contest, which saw Josh Allen run for a 26-yard touchdown to cement the Bill's 30-21 victory, the most-watched game of the 2024 season was the Chiefs versus the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1, with 29.2 million viewers, per Front Office Sports. According to @NFLMedia, NFL games have ranked as 47 of the top 50 shows on television since the start of the season.

The Bills are on a bye this coming weekend, while the Chiefs will visit with the Carolina Panthers.

---

More of the Latest Around the NFL

feed