The NFL TV audience for NBC’s coverage of the Detroit Lions 31-23 win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers game was so big, it broke numbers set when one of the all-time greats was playing.
With 40.4 million viewers, according to Nielsen, NBC had the largest audience to watch an NFL Divisional Round game since 1994. That number was for viewers on NBC, NBC Sports Digital, NFL Digital and Peacock.
The audience peaked at 49.1 million in the fourth quarter as Tampa Bay put together a potential game-winning drive.
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The last time NBC’s NFL TV ratings were this big, Joe Montana was playing QB
Detroit’s Jared Goff and Tampa’s Baker Mayfield threw for more than 600 yards and five touchdowns and the score was going back-and-forth for most of the game.
The numbers for this game was the most for NBC since a 41.4 million audience for Joe Montana and the Kansas City Chiefs beating Warren Moon and the Houston Oilers 28-20 in 1994.
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