• Loading stock data...
Thursday, October 16, 2025

Aaron Rodgers’ Brief Appearance Helps Set ‘MNF’ Record

  • Rodgers’ New York debut averaged 22.6M viewers.
  • Viewership tops Brett Favre’s Return to Lambeau Field in 2009.
Aaron Rodgers

Aaron Rodgers only played four fateful snaps. But the New York Jets superstar helped draw a record television audience to ESPN’s coverage of “Monday Night Football.”

ESPN’s telecast of the Jets’ wild 22-16 overtime victory over the Buffalo Bills averaged 22.64 million viewers across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, ESPN+ and NFL+

That’s the biggest number since ESPN took over the NFL’s original prime-time package in the 2006 season from ABC Sports.

The telecast beat the previous MNF record of 21.8 million viewers in 2009, when Brett Favre’s Minnesota Vikings hosted his former team the Green Bay Packers.

Viewership rose 14% from the 19.8 million for MNF’s Denver Broncos vs. Seattle Seahawks in Week 1 last year.  

The audience peaked at 25.2 million viewers in the first half as the Bills took a 10-3 lead – and speculation mounted over how seriously the 39-year-old Rodgers was hurt.

The separate “Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli” MegaCast on ESPN2 contributed 1.52 million viewers to overall viewership. 

The Manning brothers have created ESPN’s Top 20 most-watched alternate telecasts. The Super Bowl-winning brothers have signed an extension to continue their popular alternate telecast through 2024.

Monday’s night TV drama from MetLife Stadium in the swamps of New Jersey had it all. 

Rodgers, the four-time MVP, made his regular season debut for the Jets on the 22nd anniversary of the September 11th terror attacks.

The home crowd roared as Rodgers charged onto the field, waving an American flag. 

The cheers turned to groans when No. 8 went down with what turned out to be a season-ending Achilles tendon tear. Before the injury, Rodgers had won his previous nine MNF starts.

But the gritty Jets came back to beat the favored Bills. And help draw a record audience to the main telecast with Troy Aikman, Joe Buck and Lisa Salters on ABC/ESPN as well as alternate “ManningCast” on ESPN2.

Separately, the NFL is on track to possibly score its most-watched Opening Weekend, beating both last season and the start in 2016.

NFL games reached an estimated 122 million unique viewers during Week 1, said Hans Schroeder, the league’s executive vice president of media distribution, on a press call Tuesday..

The league’s most-watched Week 1 games roughly doubled the TV audiences of college football games such as Texas vs. Alabama and Colorado vs. Nebraska.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Texas-Oklahoma Gets 8.7M Viewers, Most-Watched CFB Game of Week 7

The Red River Rivalry was the most-watched game of the weekend.

Bears Hit Another Speed Bump for New $5B Stadium in Suburbs

A new state bill would impose several conditions on the NFL team.

Featured Today

May 25, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Derek Jeter walks the red carpet on Sunday, May 25, 2025, ahead of the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

The Players’ Tribune Is Still Kicking 11 Years Later

Founder Derek Jeter is still closely involved in the publication.
Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson (22) celebrates with her teammates after her last second shot to take the lead 90-88 against the Phoenix Mercury in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix on Oct. 8, 2025.
exclusive
October 10, 2025

Standoff Over WNBA’s Future Has Dominated Finals

CBA negotiations have stolen the spotlight from the Aces’ dominant performance.
Paul Cartier
October 5, 2025

Sports Organists Are Still Thriving in the Era of Raucous Arena Music

“When they walk out and they see a real organ guy, it’s like, ‘Wow.’”
Sep 27, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Jackson Chourio (11) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the sixth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at American Family Field.
October 4, 2025

Milwaukee Moneyball: Brewers Are Beating MLB’s Deeper Pockets

Milwaukee is holding its own against big-budget competitors.
Oct 10, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson (22) celebrates with teammates after game four of the 2025 WNBA Finals at Mortgage Matchup Center.

WNBA Finals Draws 1.5M Viewers, Second-Highest Series on ESPN

The four-game series averaged 1.5 million viewers.
Micah Parsons
exclusive
October 14, 2025

NFL Scorigami Creator Blames Glitches on Twitter Platform Changes

The bot has been glitching all NFL season, and fans have noticed.
MLS
October 14, 2025

MLS Publishes Unchecked AI-Generated Game Recaps

Humans are not reviewing the articles for accuracy.
Sponsored

How Jenny Just Is Shaping the Future of Sports Ownership

Jenny Just on bringing her investment experience to sports ownership.
Sep 5, 2025; Flushing, NY, USA; Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and Novak Djokovic of Serbia embraces after their match in the semifinal of the men’s singles at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
October 13, 2025

Six Kings Slam Returns With Record $6M Prize, Netflix Deal

The Six Kings Slam is held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Mar 5, 2023; Dallas, Texas, USA; A view of the NBA logo and NBA app logo and basketballs in front of the base during warms up before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Suns at the American Airlines Center.
October 13, 2025

NBA Will Take Over League Pass After WBD Divorce

The league now has full operational control of those media assets.
Aces
October 10, 2025

WNBA Finals Most Viewed In 25 Years Despite Possible Aces Sweep

Games 2 and 3 have averaged more than 1.2 million viewers.
Spectrum
October 10, 2025

ESPN Streaming Service at Core of New Spectrum Plan

The No. 1 U.S. distributor further blends linear and streaming TV.