FOX Sports has announced that the Week 12 Sunday night game featuring the Dallas Cowboys against the Philadelphia Eagles achieved a remarkable average of 27.816 million viewers, with a peak of 28.4 million during the game”s most thrilling moments. This impressive number underscores the enduring appeal of the Cowboys as a major attraction in the National Football League (NFL), irrespective of their performance on the field.
The significance of reaching 28.4 million viewers cannot be overstated. This figure shows a notable increase from the previous year”s Week 12 game, which attracted 25.2 million viewers. In a time when television audiences are becoming more fragmented, such an increase highlights the Cowboys” continued ability to draw fans nationwide.
For the 2025 season, the peak of 28.4 million is not merely a one-time occurrence. According to FOX Sports, this Week 12 broadcast was designated as “America”s Game of the Week,” a title reserved for games expected to capture significant national attention. In today”s streaming era, sustaining high live TV ratings is increasingly rare, making this achievement particularly valuable. Even a regular-season Sunday night game featuring a well-followed rivalry and a prominent franchise can still attract a substantial audience, reflecting the brand”s strength beyond just game records.
Earlier in the season, the Cowboys” opener averaged 28.3 million viewers, marking it as one of the most-watched opening games in recent NFL history. Looking ahead to their upcoming Thanksgiving matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs, there is potential for another record-breaking audience. The Cowboys have a long-standing tradition of dominating NFL viewership, especially on Thanksgiving Day, consistently shattering ratings records. Historical data indicates that the Cowboys have featured in nearly every top Thanksgiving telecast since 1991.
Last season, the Cowboys” Thanksgiving game against the Las Vegas Raiders drew a staggering 38.5 million viewers, making it the highest-rated regular-season telecast of 2024 and the fourth-highest audience for a Thanksgiving game. Industry forecasts suggest that this year”s game could eclipse the 42.1 million viewer record set in 2022 during their matchup with the Buffalo Bills. The previous Thanksgiving slate averaged 34.2 million viewers across all games, a record for the NFL on that holiday, largely due to the influence of streaming services and out-of-home viewership.
