TV ratings for the NFL’s Thursday night opener got sacked — again — falling for the fourth straight year.

While the NFL still commands the largest young, male demographic of any programming, the 12 percent decline from last season’s opener can’t make Commissioner Roger Goodell a happy man.

And this season’s game featured marquee New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, but he failed to spark a rise in viewership, as the game drew just a 14.6 rating.

Last year’s game scored a 16.5 rating — which was itself 7 percent lower than the 2015 opener.

The ratings tumble on Thursday is sure to continue the years-long debate over whether the NFL’s ability to draw young male viewers is on a long, cyclical decline.

Last year, an early season ratings slip of 12 percent was pegged to a divisive presidential campaign.

In fact, one influential media analyst forecast NFL ratings, absent the campaign, would grow this year.

Michael Nathanson predicted a ratings rise, which he also tied to better game matchups, The Post reported on Sept. 6.

Some have linked the lower ratings to twin controversies — concussion- caused CTE and the national anthem protest sparked by Colin Kaepernick.

Some are blaming TV coverage of Hurricane Irma for some of the NFL slippage.

The Weather Channel siphoned off more than its usual audience by averaging 2.23 million viewers opposite the game — compared with 175,000 viewers for the same time a year ago, according to Advertising Age.