NFL TV ratings for the 2020 season. Will be updated as the season progresses. Previous NFL TV ratings: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014. Numbers obtained from various sources, including network PR, ShowBuzz Daily and Programming Insider.

2020 NFL TV ratings

Week 1

Date/time Game Net Rtg. +/- Vwrs. +/- A18-49 A18-34 A25-54 Late DH TB-NO (91%) FOX 13.2 -2% 25.85M +8% 7.9 6.1 9.4 Kickoff HOU-KC NBC 11.2 -13% 20.54M -7% 6.7 5.3 7.8 SNF DAL-LAR NBC 10.4 -17% 18.94M -15% 6.2 4.6 7.5 Single MIA-NE (31%); LAC-CIN (24%) CBS 7.4 -18% 13.59M -12% 3.8 2.7 4.6 Early DH GB-MIN (38%) FOX 7.2 -3% 13.53M +7% 4.2 3.2 4.9 MNF early PIT-NYG ESPN still to come 10.76M -18% 3.6 2.9 4.2 MNF late TEN-DEN ESPN still to come 7.70M -28% 2.9 2.3 3.3

Selected local ratings:

— Kansas City: 47.8 (Texans-Chiefs)

— Pittsburgh: 36.1 (Steelers-Giants); 16.7 (Texans-Chiefs)

— Boston: 29.2 (Dolphins-Patriots); 22.1 (Buccaneers-Saints)

— Denver: 26.2 (Titans-Broncos); 18.8 (Texans-Chiefs); 10.0 (Steelers-Giants)

— Bay Area: 22.0 (Cardinals-49ers); 7.8 (Titans-Broncos)

— Houston: 20.6 (Texans-Chiefs)

— Nashville: 17.7 (Titans-Broncos)

— Austin, Tex.: 17.2 (Texans-Chiefs)

— Indianapolis: 16.8 (Texans-Chiefs)

— Baltimore: 16.1 (Texans-Chiefs); 10.1 (Steelers-Giants)

— Philadelphia: 15.9 (Texans-Chiefs); 11.5 (Steelers-Giants)

— Providence, R.I.: 15.8 (Texans-Chiefs)

— San Antonio: 15.6 (Texans-Chiefs)

— Milwaukee: 15.6 (Texans-Chiefs)

— Las Vegas: 11.5 (Raiders-Panthers); 7.2 (Titans-Broncos)

— New York City: 10.5 (Steelers-Giants); 6.0 (Jets-Bills)

— Washington D.C.: 10.0 (Steelers-Giants)

— Norfolk: 9.9 (Steelers-Giants)

— West Palm Beach: 9.9 (Steelers-Giants)

— Cleveland: 9.8 (Steelers-Giants)

— Columbus, Ohio: 9.8 (Steelers-Giants)

— Seattle: 8.5 (Titans-Broncos)

— San Diego: 8.2 (Titans-Broncos)

— Kansas City: 7.9 (Titans-Broncos)

— Phoenix: 7.1 (Titans-Broncos)

— Sacramento: 6.8 (Titans Broncos)

— Memphis: 6.8 (Titans-Broncos)

— Los Angeles: 4.9 (Bengals-Chargers)

[Sources: Sports Business Daily 9.14, ShowBuzz Daily 9.15 a, b, NBC Sports, ESPN]

Sports Media Watch TV ratings glossary

A brief explainer, using the numbers for the Texans-Chiefs Kickoff Game.

Rating: The percentage of television homes tuned to the game in the average minute. 11.2% of U.S. television homes were tuned to the Texans-Chiefs game in the average minute. Nielsen estimates there are 121 million U.S. television homes in the 2020-21 TV season.

Viewers: The number of viewers aged 2+ viewing the game in the average minute. The Texans-Chiefs game averaged 20.54 million viewers per minute. (That does not mean 20.54 million viewers total watched the game. Nielsen uses a separate total viewing figure to estimate how many viewers watched at least six minutes of any given telecast. Typically, that figure is significantly higher than the average viewership listed here.)

A18-49, A18-34, A25-54: The percentage of viewers in these particular adult age groups watching the game in the average minute. The Texans-Chiefs game averaged 5.3% of adults 18-34, 6.7% of adults 18-49 and 7.8% of adults 25-54 per minute. These demographics, particularly adults 18-34 and 18-49 are of particular importance to advertisers.

Nielsen uses sampling data to estimate television audiences, which means your specific decision to watch or not watch a game does not have any direct impact on the numbers — unless you have been chosen by Nielsen to be part of its sample and agreed to do so.

Does viewership include streaming?

All Nielsen figures include streaming viewership through “virtual MVPDs” (ex. YouTube TV, Hulu with live TV, Sling, Fubo TV, AT&T TV Now) on television, computer and mobile devices, though those figures are typically added to the total a few days the initial final nationals are published (and as such may not always be included in the numbers you see on this page). For programs on ESPN and ESPN2, streaming through the ESPN app and ESPN.com is also included.

Does viewership include DVR?

Yes, all Nielsen figures cited here include same-day DVR. Nielsen also releases viewership figures that include three, seven and even 35 days of DVR viewing, but those are not shown here as they are not particularly relevant for sporting events.

Does viewership include bars and restaurants?

As of August 31, 2020, all Nielsen figures include out-of-home viewing. Again, Nielsen uses sampling data to calculate the audience, meaning that your viewing of a sporting event outside of your home does not count unless you are in a “Nielsen family.” It should be noted that Nielsen is not the only company that calculates out of home viewing. Tunity Analytics does so as well. Nielsen and Tunity use different methods to calculate out of home viewing, and as such their respective estimates differ.