Entering Week 5, few would argue that the hype surrounding the Chiefs-Jets Sunday Night Football game paled in comparison to the storyline that is Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift. But after a thrilling showdown at MetLife Stadium, the matchup ended up being one for the books.
On Monday, NBC announced the viewership numbers for the Chiefs’s narrow 23–20 win over the Jets not only skyrocketed but also went down as the most-watched Sunday show since Fox aired Kansas City’s Super Bowl LVII victory over the Eagles on Feb. 12.
Averaging approximately 27.0 million viewers, the Chief-Jets SNF showdown, per NBC, notably peaked at an estimated 29.4 million viewers between 9:30 to 9:45 p.m. ET. The timing coincided with the Jets fighting back to get within eight points of the Chiefs late in the second quarter after facing a 17–0 first-quarter deficit.
NBC also noted the viewership numbers, likely due to the effervescent T. Swift effect taking over the league, saw a large spike among female viewers across all age groups. In all, the game garnered more than two million new viewers among teen girls ages 12-17 (+53%), women ages 18-24 (+24%) and women ages 35 and up (+34%).
Given the impressive return, the NFL and NBC certainly have plenty to be excited about following a night where Swift, Kelce, Patrick Mahomes, and others stood out on a wildly entertaining and somewhat controversial night in the Meadowlands.
