Thursday, March 12, 2026

NBC’s Chiefs-Jets ‘Swift Bowl’ Draws Monster 27 Million Viewers

  • It was the most-watched Sunday show since Fox’s telecast of Super Bowl 57 in February.
  • The “Swift Effect” generated 2 million additional female viewers.
Taylor Swift

Thank you, Taylor Swift.

NBC Sports’ telecast of the Kansas City Chiefs’ 23-20 win over the New York Jets drew a monster 27 million viewers Sunday night. 

Through Week 4, NBC has now televised the two most-watched NFL games this season.

With pop superstar Swift in attendance at an NFL game for the second straight week to cheer on Travis Kelce, the “Sunday Night Football” telecast drew 2 million more female viewers than usual. 

It peaked at 29.4 million viewers in the second quarter as the Jets pulled within eight points of the defending Super Bowl champions.

NBC producers leaned into “The Swift Bowl,” with a special intro devoted to “Swifties” by Carson Daly and no less than 17 cutaway shots of the singer and her entourage in a luxury box at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. The network’s “Taylor Made for Sunday Night” promo was watched 8 million times.

The game’s average audience of 27 million viewers was up 22% from last year’s comparable Week 4 game between Patrick Mahomes’ Chiefs and Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers (22.2 million viewers). But the total fell just short of NBC’s average for the Chiefs season-opening loss to the Detroit Lions (27.5 million).

Viewership among teen girls aged 12-17 years old rose 53% compared to the season-to-date average of SNF, while female viewers aged 18-24 years old — and those 35 and over — spiked 24% and 34%, respectively.  

The game also marked NBC’s largest ever streaming audience for a regular-season Sunday night game. Led by Peacock, the average minute audience (AMA) totalled 1.85 million viewers – up 42% from last year’s comparable Week 4 game. 

Over the last two weeks, NFL games with Swift in attendance rang up 24.3 million viewers for Fox and 27 million for NBC.

Anybody really want to argue she’s not bringing new viewers to the NFL?

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

NFL Teams Waste No Time Striking Early Deals Ahead of Free Agency

Many of the top available free agents are quickly striking new deals.

Nearly $100M in 1-Year Deals Handed Out at NFL Tag Deadline

Four players were tagged by Tuesday’s deadline.
[US, Mexico & Canada customers only] Sep 28, 2025; Bethpage, New York, USA; Team USA's Bryson DeChambeau reacts after hitting his approach on the 15th hole during the singles on the final day of competition for the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.

PGA of America Extends Ryder Cup Deal With NBC and Versant

The Ryder Cup will remain on NBC Sports and USA Sports through 2033.

U.S. Gold-Medal Game Draws 20.7M Viewers for NBC, a Morning Record

The gold-medal hockey game draws an NFL-like audience.

Featured Today

Alex Eala Has Become One of the Biggest Draws in Tennis

Eala will face Coco Gauff in the third round at Indian Wells.
Jun 9, 2021; Paris, France; The racket of Coco Gauff (USA) after she smashed it during her match against Barbora Krejcikova (CZE) on day 11 of the French Open at Stade Roland Garros
March 6, 2026

The ‘Rage Room’ Is the Hottest Place in Tennis

The idea came from a player podcast.
March 5, 2026

Mark DeRosa Is Still Baseball’s Swiss Army Knife

DeRosa is the sport’s utility player both on the field and off.
Nicole Silveira
March 3, 2026

The Tattoo Marking Membership in the Most Exclusive Club in Sports

For athletes, the Olympic rings tattoo is “about everything it took.”
Mar 7, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, UNITED STATES; Donte Johnson (red gloves) fights Cody Brundage (blue gloves) during UFC 326 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

UFC Touts Ratings Success of CBS Debut

A portion of UFC 326 was simulcast on CBS last Saturday.
Feb 27, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; NFL media insider Ian Rapoport during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
March 11, 2026

Will Rival Insiders Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport Team Up?

As ESPN’s acquisition of NFL Network approaches, Rapoport’s contract status looms.
March 11, 2026

NFL Dominates Thanksgiving Week—and Wants Another Night

The league looks to expand its presence over the highly watched holiday.
Sponsored

Paul Rabil: Why Owning a Team Is a 100x Bet

Paul Rabil shares how he left an established league to build PLL.
March 11, 2026

WBC Delivers Big Ratings for Fox, but U.S. Loss Clouds Outlook

Early viewership rises, but the U.S. team no longer controls its fate.
Feb 6, 2026; San Francisco, CA, USA; Pat McAfee on the Pat McAfee Show set at the Super Bowl LX media center at the Moscone Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
March 11, 2026

Pat McAfee NFL Free-Agency Special Shows His Juice at ESPN

McAfee’s pull at ESPN has been plenty apparent this week.
March 10, 2026

March Madness Getting Chalkier, but TV Networks Aren’t Worried

The two networks remain bullish despite increasing chalkiness in college basketball.
Mar 29, 2025; San Francisco, CA, USA; CBS Sports reporter Lauren Shehadi speaks prior to a game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Florida Gators during the West Regional final of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
exclusive
March 10, 2026

Lauren Shehadi Lands Netflix MLB Reporter Role

Shehadi will make her debut during Netflix’s Opening Night game on March 25.