LOS ANGELES - The NFL averaged 21.0 million viewers per game during the league's opening week, making it the most-watched Week 1 on record.
The league and Nielsen said Wednesday that the per-game average on TV and digital platforms was a 12% increase over last year.
Nielsen began electronic measurement of viewing in 1988.
All told, 123 million people saw at least part of one game, its highest total for an opening week since 2019.
NBC had the most-watched game, with defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City's 27-20 victory over Baltimore in last Thursday's opener averaging 29.2 million on TV and digital.
Tom Brady's first game as Fox's top analyst — Dallas' 33-17 win over Cleveland — averaged 23.93 million.