STAMFORD, Conn. - Jan. 11, 2022 - With Sunday night's exhilarating Chargers-Raiders matchup, NBC Sports concluded its 16th season of Sunday Night Football, topping all primetime television series in the fall and once again pacing to finish as primetime's #1 TV show in all key metrics for an unprecedented 11th consecutive year in the most competitive time slot in media. NBC's SNF extended its record for the most consecutive years atop the charts (since 1950).

Most Consecutive Years, #1 Ranked Show in Primetime, Since 1950

11 years in a row - Sunday Night Football (2011-12 through 2021-22; on pace)
6 years in a row - American Idol (2005-06 through 2010-11)
5 years in a row - The Cosby Show (1985-86 through 1989-90)... tied Cheers in '89-90
5 years in a row - All in the Family (1971-72 through 1975-76)
4 years in a row - Gunsmoke (1957-58 through 1960-61)

NBC Sunday Night Football posted a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) average of 19.3 million viewers for the 2021 season - up 11% from last season (17.4 million), according to official national live plus same day data released by Nielsen, and digital data from Adobe Analytics. Over the course of the season, viewers watched nearly 70 billion minutes of SNF - the most in a season since 2016.

"From our down-to-the-wire NFL Kickoff game in Tampa to Tom Brady's return to New England to this past Sunday night's uniquely thrilling season finale, the 2021 Sunday Night Football season was one to remember," said Pete Bevacqua, Chairman, NBC Sports. "We thank our unparalleled production, technical and announce teams, which are the backbone of our record-setting 11-year run as television's #1 primetime show. We look forward to continuing our momentum through to Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, February 13."

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL RANKS #1 IN 16 OF 18 WEEKS OF NFL SEASON; TOPS ALL KEY METRICS

NBC's Sunday Night Football ranked as primetime's #1 show in 16 of the 18 weeks (89%) this season, up from 12 times in 17 weeks (71%) in 2020. In addition, SNF topped all primetime shows in average viewership and household rating, and ranked #1 among adults 18-49 for the 14th consecutive season.

Key SNF Full Season Metrics (TV only)

Category 2021 Vs. 2020 Primetime Rank
Average Viewers 18.5 million +10% #1
HH Rating 9.9 +6% #1
Adult 18-49 Rating 5.3 +8% #1

Source: Nielsen, Live + Same Day Data, 9/9/21-1/9/22

BOOSTED BY FIRST SEASON WITH ALL GAMES LIVE STREAMED ON PEACOCK, SNF SETS STREAMING RECORD

With Peacock live streaming all NBC NFL games for the first time this season, NBC Sports Digital hit another viewership milestone for Sunday Night Football in 2021, with a record Average Minute Audience of 843,000 viewers across Peacock, NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports app, NFL Digital platforms, and Yahoo Sports mobile properties - up 48% from the prior record (571,000) set last year.

The streaming audience has grown such that NBC Sports Digital's AMA of 843,000 viewers for SNF tops the primetime average (8:30-11:30 p.m. ET) of all but five cable networks over the 20 nights of the SNF regular season package.

FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA IS MOST-WATCHED STUDIO SHOW FOR 16TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR

NBC's Football Night in America studio show averaged 7.1 million viewers from 7:30-8:15 p.m. ET this season - up 18% from last season (6.0 million). FNIA continues its reign as sports' most-watched weekly studio show for the 16th consecutive year (since the show's 2006 debut season). In addition, the 8-8:23 p.m. ET portion of Football Night in America (including pre-kick coverage), averaged 11.8 million viewers, and a 3.2 rating among Adults 18-49, which would both rank No. 4 among regularly-scheduled primetime shows in the demographic (and up from 10.5 million viewers and 3.0 rating in 2020).

NBC SNF GAMES PRODUCE 8 OF 10 MOST-WATCHED PRIMETIME SHOWS THIS SEASON

NBC Sunday Night Football accounted for eight of the top 10 (up from seven last year), and 14 of the 20 most-watched primetime telecasts between Sept. 9, 2021 and Jan. 9, 2022.

Most-Watched Primetime Shows This Fall (Sept. 9, 2021-Jan. 9, 2022), TV only

Show, Date Avg. Viewers
NBC Sunday Night Football (Buccaneers-Patriots), 10/3 27.2 million
NBC Sunday Night Football (Cowboys-Buccaneers), 9/9 25.2 million
FOX/NFLN Thurs. Night Football (Packers-Cardinals), 10/28 20.5 million*
NBC Sunday Night Football (Bills-Saints), 11/25 20.4 million
ABC/ESPN MNF Special (Cowboys-Eagles), 1/8 20.2 million*
NBC Sunday Night Football (Chiefs-Ravens), 9/19 20.1 million
NBC Sunday Night Football (Packers-49ers), 9/26 20.0 million
NBC Sunday Night Football (Bears-Packers), 12/12 18.8 million
NBC Sunday Night Football (Vikings-Packers), 1/2 18.5 million
NBC Sunday Night Football (Saints-Buccaneers), 12/19 18.4 million

Source: Nielsen, Live + Same Day Data, 9/9/21-1/9/22; Excludes Pre- and Post-Shows

*Viewership across two television networks

SNF AVERAGE (P2+) VIEWERSHIP RANK AMONG PRIMETIME SHOWS:

Fall TV Season Full TV Season

2021 No. 1 Show 1st (through 1/9/22
2020 No. 1 Show 1st
2019 No. 1 Show 1st
2018 No. 1 Show 1st
2017 No. 1 Show 1st
2016 No. 1 Show 1st
2015 No. 1 Show 1st
2014 No. 1 Show 1st
2013 No. 1 Show 1st
2012 No. 1 Show 1st
2011 No. 1 Show 1st
2010 No. 1 Show 3rd
2009 No. 2 Show 4th
2008 No. 5 Show 8th
2007 No. 7 Show 8th
2006 No. 7 Show 9th

Source: Nielsen, Live + Same Day Data

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL TOP 20 METERED MARKETS - 2021 SEASON:

For the fourth consecutive year, and seventh time (2010, 2011 and 2013) in 12 seasons, New Orleans was the top-rated SNF market. Milwaukee was the top-rated SNF market in 2017 and 2012, while Denver ranked #1 for three consecutive seasons from 2014-16.

1. New Orleans* 20.6/32
2. Kansas City 20.3/36
3. Milwaukee 19.3/34
4. Buffalo* 17.8/31
5. Albuquerque* 17.1/29
6. Dallas 15.9/32
   T7. Pittsburgh 15.2/27
   T7. Sacramento 15.2/30
   T9. Las Vegas 14.8/31
   T9. Baltimore 14.8/29
   T11. Cleveland 14.5/28
   T11. Richmond* 14.5/26
7. Nashville 14.3/25
8. Cincinnati 14.1/28
9. Providence 14.0/27
10. Austin 13.8/29
11. San Diego 13.7/31
12. Dayton* 13.3/24
13. Denver 13.2/28
    T20. San Antonio 13.1/24
    T20. Seattle 13.1/27
    *through Week 17

NBC will televise a pair of games on NFL Super Wild Card Weekend. This Saturday, Jan. 14 at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBC, Peacock and Universo, the NFL's second-ranked passer Joe Burrow (108.3 rating) and the AFC North champion Cincinnati Bengals host Derek Carr and the Las Vegas Raiders. Coverage begins at 3 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock with a special Football Night in America. Then on Sunday night Jan. 15 on NBC, Peacock and Telemundo, Super Bowl LIV MVP Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs host two-time NFL champion Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers, with coverage beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET with FNIA.