NFL misses out on a TV ratings record after brutal weather brought the game to a halt
NBC's record-breaking NFL kickoff was toppled by lightning strikes, but Eagles–Cowboys still drew 28.3M viewers as Jalen Hurts powered Philly past Dallas in a wild season opener
NBC Sports and its streaming service Peacock were on pace to deliver the most-watched NFL kickoff game in history. Still, an hour-long weather delay robbed them of the record as the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys opened the 2025 season at Lincoln Financial Field.
With 4:44 left in the third quarter, the Eagles led when a lightning strike hit the area, forcing officials to suspend the game. Both teams headed back to the locker room around 10:25 p.m. ET.
The delay lasted nearly an hour before play resumed, but the interruption affected NBC's ratings surge. Still, the game drew an average of 28.3 million viewers across NBC and Peacock, the second-highest for a kickoff game, per Front Office Sports.
It fell just short of last year's Ravens-Chiefs opener, which set the record for season debuts with 29.2 million viewers. That game also saw a thunderous weather delay, and Lamar Jackson passed for 273 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 122, but the team still lost, similar to the team failing to beat the Bills in this year's season opener despite one of the most productive offensive performances in recent history.
READ MORE: Terry Bradshaw looks away from Michael Strahan after hearing Aaron Rodgers takeREAD MORE: Dad breaks silence on giving son's HR ball to 'Karen' — 'She just wouldn't stop'According to NBC Sports, the 2012 season finale between the Washington Redskins and the Dallas Cowboys was the network's highest-rated regular-season NFL game, with 30.3 million viewers.
In that game, rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III led Washington to its first division title since 1999 with a 28-18 win over the Cowboys, who were led by Tony Romo.
Official attendance at Lincoln Financial Field was 69,879. Fans braved steady rain before lightning halted the game.
Although the broadcast was on pace to beat last year's record before the delay, its numbers dropped as viewers scattered during the break.
The Eagles opened their Super Bowl title defense with quarterback Jalen Hurts producing a clutch performance and defensive tackle Jalen Carter being ejected before the first offensive snap in a 24-20 win.
The reigning Super Bowl MVP threw for 152 yards and kept Dallas off balance with his legs. He also rushed for two touchdowns and converted key first downs in the red zone.
Carter was flagged and ejected after spitting on Dak Prescott, leading to a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Later footage appeared to show Prescott spitting toward the ground while talking to rookie guard Tyler Booker, not directly at Carter.
Reports indicated Carter believed the act was intentional. He apologized after the game.
The opening week of the NFL has already been memorialized as one full of eccentric controversy.
A Buffalo Bills fan was banned indefinitely from all league stadiums after shoving Lamar Jackson and DeAndre Hopkins in Week 1 action.
Other matchups around the league saw neon green sex toys thrown onto the field in scenes similar to the WNBA's epidemic that has since died off heading into the playoffs.