Giants-Cowboys on NBC Dominates Week 1 Ratings, Becoming Most-Watched Opener Since 2015

The Week 1 "Sunday Night Football" game between the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys captivated an audience of 25.7 million viewers across NBC and Peacock, making it the most-watched Week 1 "SNF" game since 2015. That year, the same rivalry matchup also secured the top spot for Week 1 viewership.

The viewership for the Giants' 28-20 victory saw a 4 percent increase compared to last year's "SNF" opener between the Bills and Ravens. The game's audience peaked in the second quarter, reaching 29 million viewers.

This strong performance marks the first time since 2015 that both the NFL Kickoff game and the first "SNF" game of the season have each averaged over 25 million viewers. The Seahawks-Patriots opener also drew a significant audience, averaging 25.1 million viewers.

Viewership metrics are being tracked using Nielsen's updated Big Data + Panel ratings methodology, which was introduced in September 2025 and refined in August.

The rivalry game featured the Giants under new coach John Harbaugh, who secured his first victory with the team. Quarterback Jaxson Dart contributed 230 passing yards and three touchdowns, while running back Cam Skattebo added 81 rushing yards and a touchdown, punctuated by his signature backflip celebration.

Despite the strong viewership, the matchup faced some criticism leading up to the game. ESPN's Steve Coughlin expressed a lack of interest in seeing the Giants and Cowboys featured so prominently again, citing their recent struggles. However, Scott Van Pelt, host of ESPN's "SVPod," noted that the frequent primetime placement of the New York-Dallas rivalry is due to the large television markets and extensive fan bases involved.

For this particular Sunday night, the enduring appeal of the Giants-Cowboys rivalry evidently resonated with a substantial audience, demonstrating that the matchup under the lights remains a significant draw.