ESPN Draws Highest ‘MNF’ Doubleheader Audience Since 2015

ESPN’s first Monday Night Football doubleheader of the season—one of a record-tying four in 2025—posted the special broadcast experiment’s best viewership in more than a decade.

The Buccaneers’ last-second 20–19 win over the Texans and the Chargers’ 20–9 victory over the Raiders combined to average 13.5 million viewers, which is ESPN’s best audience across two games in a single night since 2015. 

Bucs–Texans started at 7 p.m. ET and was simulcast on ABC, drawing 17.4 million viewers, which is ESPN’s most-watched individual game on a week with multiple MNF games. Chargers–Raiders kicked off at 10 p.m. ET, and drew 9.7 million viewers.

ESPN has aired multiple MNF games in 24 weeks since 2006, and there are three more MNF doubleheaders this season. In Weeks 4 and 6, overlapping games will air on ESPN at 7:15 p.m. ET and ABC at 8:15 p.m. ET. In Week 7, the networks will use the same strategy as Week 2, with back-to-back games at 7 and 10 p.m. ET.

The strong TV ratings come after the Vikings–Bears drew ESPN’s second-highest audience, 22.1 million viewers, for a Week 1 MNF game on record. 

Multiple broadcasters have set new viewership marks early this NFL season, as Nielsen’s new Big Data + Panel methodology is boosting reported ratings. Amazon Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football opener, Packers–Commanders, drew the streamer’s highest regular-season audience yet, 17.76 million viewers.