3 most-watched Sunday Night Football games in NFL history
The noise surrounding Sunday Night Football and Tom Brady's return to Gillette Stadium hit a fever pitch ahead of kickoff in Week 4. The game drew record viewership, but it wasn't the most viewed NBC Sunday Night Football match of all-time.
Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers claimed a 19-17 win over the New England Patriots when Nick Folk's late field goal cannoned back off the post, leaving the nation locked in on Brady and Bill Belichick's post-game handshake. This was the first in-person interaction the two have had since Brady's time at Foxborough came to an abrupt end.
Per NBC, the Patriots-Buccaneers game was the most-watched Sunday night football game since 2012.
Providence registered the highest-ever NBC SNF football rating. If I'm reading these ratings right (45.1/73), 45% of TVs in Providence tuned into the game.
That's nuts.
The game was watched by 28.5 million viewers across all platforms, peaking in the Providence, Rhode Island market, where an estimated 45% of all TVs were locked into Brady's emotional homecoming.
While the Bucs-Pats showdown topped almost every Sunday Night Football broadcast since the program was launched in 2006, one primetime showdown recorded higher audience viewership and holds the top spot in the all-time rankings.
What are the 3 all-time most-watched Sunday Night Football games?
#3 – Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants (2016): 26.7 million
It was December 11, 2016 – a year after Odell Beckham wowed the world with 'the catch' against the Dallas Cowboys – and the NFC East rivals met once again at Metlife Stadium with 26.7 million viewers tuning in.
Almost all of those viewers, other than Giants fans, would have been left disappointed as the Giants won by a score of 10-7 triumph, with explosive second-year receiver Beckham scoring the hosts' only touchdown.
Eli Manning and then-rookie Dak Prescott combined for 258 passing yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, and there were 18 punts in a forgettable primetime TV spectacle.
#2 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New England Patriots (2021): 28.5 million
There may not have been many fireworks in Week 4 of the 2021 season, but it's impossible to say this was not compelling viewing.
Brady may not have hit the endzone in a risk-averse performance in torrential conditions, but the 44-year-old guided the Bucs offense, throwing for 269 yards and 22 completions from 43 attempts to capture the win.
Mac Jones played his part in keeping up with Brady, dinking and dunking his way to 275 yards, two touchdowns and a pick, with 31 of 40 passes completed. A missed field goal separated the teams, but Brady got his win over Belichick by the finest of margins in the biggest Sunday Night Football rating in nine years.
Tom Brady's return to Foxborough is only the No. 2 SNF game of all-time in terms of TV rating.
Still holding down the No. 1 spot?
RGIII and Washington defeat the Cowboys for a playoff spot in Week 17, 2012.
#1 – Dallas Cowboys at Washington (2012), 30.3 million
Robert Griffin III was the star of the show in Sunday Night Football's all-time highest viewed broadcast in Week 17 of 2012, on December 30.
With Washington needing a victory to seal a place in the postseason, Griffin III led his team to a 28-18 triumph against Tony Romo and the Cowboys to secure the NFC West title and a home playoff match.
That performance clinched the 2012 Offensive Rookie of Year award and a Pro Bowl season for Griffin and remains as the only Sunday Night Football game to top 30 million viewers.