Dallas Cowboys vs. Kansas City Chiefs on Thanksgiving was the most-watched NFL regular-season game ever, data shows
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 game shattered the previous league record by 36%, when 42.06 million watched Cowboys host the New York Giants on Thanksgiving Day on Fox in 2022, according to a news release from Paramount and CBS Sports. 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, as the Cowboys ran out the final minutes of the game clock at AT&T Stadium holding a 3-point lead.
The previous regular-season mark on CBS was 41.76 million for the 2023 Thanksgiving game between the Washington Commanders and the Cowboys.
The Cowboys-Chiefs game also broke the record for the most-streamed regular season NFL game on Paramount+.
"The NFL. Thanksgiving. Chiefs. Cowboys. A perfect recipe for a record audience. We're thrilled and honored this NFL showcase on CBS and Paramount+ delivered the most-watched regular-season game in NFL history," David Berson, president and CEO of CBS Sports, said in a statement.
Four of the five most-watched regular-season games in NFL history are the late afternoon Thanksgiving game in Dallas.
"NFL on CBS" success
This season, CBS has seen the highest viewership of NFL games since the league returned to the network in 1998. The games are averaging 22.1 million viewers. That's 9% higher than the 2024 season, according to Paramount.
Paramount+ has also seen its most-streamed NFL season since the platform launched.
Paramount is the parent company of CBS Sports and CBS News Texas.