The thrilling clash between the Dallas Cowboys and Kansas City Chiefs has broken the viewership record in NFL history. And it did it by a huge margin, dwarfing the previous mark.
Cowboys-Chiefs Game Breaks the Viewership Record
The Cowboys met the Chiefs at AT&T Stadium on Thursday in Week 13 on Thanksgiving Day. Their showdown on CBS didn’t just entertain football fans; it created a historic moment, pulling in 57.2 million viewers.
NEWS: The @dallascowboys–@Chiefs game on Thanksgiving drew a massive 57.2 million viewers on CBS. It shatters the record for the most-watched NFL regular season game in history. Story on @TheAthletic:https://t.co/6XoEyiDqbY
— Richard Deitsch (@richarddeitsch) December 3, 2025
Dallas’ 31-28 win over the Chiefs shattered the previous regular-season record of 42.1 million, which was held by the Cowboys vs. New York Giants game on Thanksgiving Day in 2022. And thanks to the explosive Thanksgiving action, the previous game is no longer even in second spot on the list.
Earlier on Thursday, the Detroit Lions vs. Green Bay Packers matchup also broke the 2022 record with 47.7 million viewers, placing it in the No. 2 spot right now.
This jump in viewership fits well with the NFL’s trend in recent years. The league also set a new International Games viewership record, averaging 6.2 million viewers during six games played in Dublin, Berlin, Madrid, and London.
Overall, viewership has risen significantly compared to last season. Numbers are up six percent, with an average of 17.7 million viewers per game through Week 11.
Thanksgiving Day has always drawn massive audiences, and this year the NFL delivered again by putting some of the most popular teams against each other, leading to the record being broken not once but twice.
Playoff Probabilities for Cowboys and Chiefs
Thanksgiving Day also had a major effect on the playoff picture. Following the Chiefs’ loss to the Cowboys, the Chiefs are now third in the AFC West with a 6–6 record.
After the defeat, Kansas City currently has only a 21.50% chance of making the playoffs, according to PFSN’s Playoff Predictor. Their Week 14 matchup against the Houston Texans becomes crucial; a win keeps their hopes alive, while a loss will make things even harder.
The Cowboys, despite their impressive win, aren’t in a fully comfortable position either. They sit at 6–5–1 and are currently second in the NFC East with a 21.4% chance to reach the postseason. Their upcoming game against the Detroit Lions will play a huge role in shaping their path. A win could boost their chances to 35.70%, while a loss would drop them to 10.40%.
After their historic game on Thanksgiving Day, these two teams will likely attract more spotlight to them in the upcoming weeks. It will be interesting to see how far they go this season with their current uncomfortable position in the playoff picture.