Patriots-Bucs TV Ratings: Sunday Night Game Draws Massive Audience

The most-watched Sunday night game since 2012

Sunday night’s game between the Patriots and the Buccaneers lived up to the hype, both in terms of on-field drama and off-field interest.

NBC on Monday announced that 28.5 million viewers across all platforms tuned in to watch Tampa Bay, led by Tom Brady, earn a rain-soaked 19-17 victory in New England. That makes it the most-watched Sunday night game since 2012 (Week 17 win-and-in game between Dallas and Washington) and second-most watched since NBC debuted its “SNF” package in 2006.

The game’s 34 share (percentage of in-use TVs tuned into game) is the highest in NBC “Sunday Night Football” history.

The local audience numbers arguably are even more impressive. In particular, Patriots-Bucs drew a staggering — and record-setting — 73 share in Providence, R.I. Boston saw its best “SNF” rating since 2015.

Take a look:

What do you think?  Leave a comment.

Yeah, Americans love football.

The 1-3 Patriots will visit the Houston Texans on Sunday, while the 3-1 Bucs will host the Miami Dolphins.

About the Author

Dakota Randall

Plymouth State/Boston University product from Wolfeboro, NH, who now is based in Rhode Island. Have worked at NESN since 2016, covering the Patriots since 2021. Might chat your ear off about Disney World, Halo 2, and Lord of the Rings.