Apparently, people aren’t sick of watching the New England Patriots in the NFL playoffs after all.
Sunday afternoon’s divisional round contest between the Patriots and the Houston Texans, which aired on ESPN, ABC and ESPN Deportes, was officially the most-watched game in ESPN history. According to Nielsen ratings, the game drew 38 million viewers — a record for any event that’s aired on ESPN since the network launched in 1979.
The game was also Disney’s most-watched live sporting event, excluding Super Bowls.
That’s surprising given the limited household names on both teams and the lack of a rivalry angle. However, Houston and New England are both massive media markets.
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The nearly 40 million viewers who tuned in saw a sloppy, turnover-filled game on a snowy afternoon at Gillette Stadium. Both quarterbacks struggled in the inclement weather, with Drake Maye fumbling four times and C.J. Stroud throwing four interceptions.
However, the Patriots prevailed 28-16 in their final home game of the season, advancing to the AFC Championship Game for the first time since the 2018 season. They’ll square off against the Denver Broncos, who outlasted the Buffalo Bills in an overtime thriller on Saturday.
While New England enjoyed a ton of postseason success during the 2000s and 2010s with Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, this is the franchise’s first deep playoff run in seven years. Led by Maye and Mike Vrabel, the Patriots are young, exciting underdogs for a change, which may have compelled viewers to tune in.
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It was also a holiday weekend, which may have boosted ratings. Regardless, there will be plenty of eyes on New England this Sunday when it battles the Broncos with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.
