Elevate your local knowledge

Sign up for the iNFOnews newsletter today!

Select Region

Selecting your primary region ensures you get the stories that matter to you first.

Cowboys-Chiefs Thanksgiving matchup on CBS is the most-watched regular-season NFL game ever

Joe Reedy

Cowboys-Chiefs Thanksgiving matchup on CBS is the most-watched regular-season NFL game ever | iNFOnews.ca
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (88) and tight end Jake Ferguson (87) celebrate following an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

The Dallas Cowboys’ 31-28 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Thanksgiving Day averaged 57.23 million viewers on CBS, making it the most-watched regular-season game in NFL history.

The early game between Green Bay and Detroit — won by the Packers 31-24 — averaged 47.7 million, making it the second most-watched in league history and the most-watched regular-season game since Fox began carrying the NFL in 1994.

The Cowboys-Chiefs game shattered by 36% the previous league record, which was 42.06 million for the New York Giants-Cowboys game on Fox in 2022. It was also a 47% increase over last year’s late afternoon Thanksgiving game between the Giants and Cowboys (38.84 million).

The audience peaked at 61.36 million for the game’s conclusion.

The previous regular-season mark on CBS was 41.76 million for the 2023 Thanksgiving game between the Washington Commanders and the Cowboys.

“The NFL. Thanksgiving. Chiefs. Cowboys. A perfect recipe for a record audience. We’re thrilled and honored this NFL showcase delivered the most-watched regular-season game in NFL history,” said David Berson, president and CEO of CBS Sports.

Four of the five most-watched regular-season games in NFL history are the late afternoon Thanksgiving game in Dallas.

The audience for the Green Bay-Detroit game peaked at 57.96 million.

The Cincinnati Bengals’ 32-14 win over the Baltimore Ravens also set a mark for the most-watched Thanksgiving night game. Joe Burrow’s return to the Bengals lineup averaged 28.4 million on NBC. The previous record was 27.8 million when Chicago faced Green Bay in 2015 when Brett Favre’s jersey was retired at halftime.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Cowboys-Chiefs Thanksgiving matchup on CBS is the most-watched regular-season NFL game ever | iNFOnews.ca
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (88) catches a touchdown pass as Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie (22) defends during the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

Create a free account

The Associated Press

Joe Reedy

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.

Related Articles