The Chiefs’ victory over the Ravens is the most watched NFL season opener of all time
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Sport in Seriousness
The opening game of the 2024 NFL season between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens started late due to a lightning delay, but this had no impact on viewership.
An average of 28.9 million viewers tuned in to NBC and Peacock to see the Chiefs narrowly beat the Ravens 27-20 on Thursday, the network said Friday, making the game the most-watched season opener in NFL history. By comparison, the 2023 season opener between the Chiefs and Detroit Lions drew an average of 27.5 million viewers.
The broadcast of the 2024 NFL regular season kickoff peaked at 33 million viewers in the second quarter between 9:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. ET, but the excitement didn’t build until late in the game.
Baltimore was down by a touchdown with seconds left when Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson made what looked like a touchdown pass to tight end Isaiah Likely in the back of the end zone. Ravens coach John Harbaugh held up two fingers to signal a two-point conversion attempt for the win, but replay showed Likely’s toe landed just out of bounds.
“Next time he has to wear white cleats, that’s my advice to (Likely),” joked Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes after the win.
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Thursday’s game between Kansas City and Baltimore was a rematch of the 2023 AFC Championship Game, in which the Chiefs defeated the Ravens 17-10 and were on their way to their second consecutive Super Bowl title.
Due to lightning and thunderstorms, kickoff had to be postponed to 8:40 p.m. ET.
