The thrilling NFL Kickoff Game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens on Thursday set a new record for viewership.
On Friday, NBC Sports announced that the Kansas City Chiefs’ thrilling clash with Lamar Jackson’s Baltimore Ravens averaged 28.9 million viewers on NBC and Peacock, making it the most-watched NFL Kickoff Game in history.
The network added that the game’s audience peaked at 33 million viewers in the second quarter. The Chiefs held on for a thrilling 27-20 victory in front of a raucous crowd at Arrowhead Stadium.
Kansas City and Baltimore squared off in a rematch of last season’s AFC Championship Game at M&T Bank Stadium, which Patrick Mahomes and company won 17-10 en route to a second straight Super Bowl championship.
With the victory, Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs improved to 5-1 against Jackson. The latter’s only win against KC came in Week 2 of the 2021 season, a 36-35 victory following a costly late Kansas City fumble.
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The NFL Kickoff Games always draw massive viewership numbers. Throw in the fact it was a the NFL’s model organization, with the league’s best player (Mahomes) and Taylor Swift’s boyfriend (Travis Kelce) against another heavyweight like Baltimore, and you have the makings for a record-setting game for viewership.
The Kansas City Chiefs narrowly held on for a seven-point victory, after replays showed Baltimore tight end Isaiah Likely was barely out of bounds on what was initially ruled a touchdown to keep the game going. Likely’s right foot touched the back end zone line, making the pass incomplete.
Kansas City Chiefs Have Another Tough Test On Their Hands
Getting past another AFC juggernaut in Jackson’s Ravens was a nice start for Kansas City, but the focus now shifts towards another conference rival and powerhouse in Joe Burrow’s Cincinnati Bengals.
Burrow holds a 3-1 record against Mahomes, having won the first three meetings before losing the 2022 AFC Championship Game. Kansas City hosts Cincinnati at Arrowhead Stadium at 4:25 p.m. EST next Sunday.
