CBS and Fox experience contrasting NFL viewership figures in Week 1

Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season saw mixed results in television viewership. CBS reported an average of 18.6 million viewers for the Packers vs. Vikings game, a 22% decrease from last year's comparable matchup. Fox led the 4:25 ET window with 20.3 million viewers for the Commanders vs. Eagles game. NBC experienced a boost, averaging 25.7 million viewers for Sunday Night Football featuring the Cowboys and Giants, a 4% increase from the previous year. The early hours showed CBS averaging 14.1 million viewers, benefiting from a strong early game, though the streaming presents challenges as networks and streaming services navigate audience engagement. ESPN has not yet released viewership details for its Monday Night Football debut.

• 10:37 PMYahoo Sports — Networks Get Mixed Results With Week 1 NFL Viewership