Chiefs’ first loss draws bigger TV audience than Paris Olympics and gives NFL record not seen since peak Brady vs Manning rivalry
It was a frustrating loss for the Kansas City Chiefs that prevented perfection. It was also a big win for the NFL and a league that is planning further international expansion. GettyJosh Allen and Patrick Mahomes helped the NFL throw it back almost 20 years[/caption] Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs suffered their first defeat of the season last Sunday during a 30-21 loss to Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. While Kansas City fell to 9-1 and is now tied with the Detroit Lions for the best record in the league, the NFL recorded an audience of 31.2 million that beat the 2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony (28 million), the College Football Championship Game and the Academy Awards, according to The Bills Guys. Allen putting “on his cape” and beating Mahomes also had the NFL tripling the average of the NBA Finals. “It was an awesome game,” one fan tweeted. “Turns out superior teams attract fans,” a second fan posted. “Absolutely incredible,” a third fan wrote. “And the best part, a Bills win. Go Bills!” Buffalo improved to 9-2 with the win and kept pace with Kansas City for the AFC’s No. 1 seed on the road to the Super Bowl. In turn, Allen and Mahomes produced NFL ratings not seen since the peak of the Tom Brady vs Peyton Manning rivalry. Outside of Christmas and Thanksgiving holiday games, the NFL hadn’t reached a regular-season audience of 31.2 million since Week 9 of the 2007 season. That was for the New England Patriots at the Indianapolis Colts, when Bill Belichick was still guiding Brady and Tony Dungy was coming off an Indy Super Bowl win. GettyTom Brady and Peyton Manning used to have the NFL’s best rivalry[/caption] Getty Images - GettyThe Bills’ win over the Chiefs allowed the NFL to beat the College Football finale[/caption] The biggest NFL TV game in 17 years also outpaced the 2024 Summer Olympics in ParisGetty Brady outplayed Manning and the Pats won 24-20 on the road. Seventeen years later, Allen outplayed Mahomes, and the Bills reminded the Chiefs who their biggest rival is. With Allen heading toward his potential first MVP honor, Mahomes vowed to see the Buffalo QB again when it really mattered — in the playoffs. Mahomes’ inner confidence in himself and the Chiefs was evident as he told Allen, “We’ll do it again, baby.” Kansas City has knocked Buffalo out of the playoffs in three of the last four seasons, often in heartbreaking fashion. But Allen has clearly been a better QB than Mahomes in 2024, and Buffalo is now the only team to beat the Chiefs this year. Thanks to a growing modern rivalry, the NFL easily beat the Olympics, Academy Awards and NBA Finals for lucrative audience numbers. talkSPORT is your home of the NFL on UK radio, and you can stay up to date with all the latest from around the league via our dedicated ‘EndZone’ YouTube channel.
It was a frustrating loss for the Kansas City Chiefs that prevented perfection.
It was also a big win for the NFL and a league that is planning further international expansion.
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs suffered their first defeat of the season last Sunday during a 30-21 loss to Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills.
While Kansas City fell to 9-1 and is now tied with the Detroit Lions for the best record in the league, the NFL recorded an audience of 31.2 million that beat the 2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony (28 million), the College Football Championship Game and the Academy Awards, according to The Bills Guys.
Allen putting “on his cape” and beating Mahomes also had the NFL tripling the average of the NBA Finals.
“It was an awesome game,” one fan tweeted.
“Turns out superior teams attract fans,” a second fan posted.
“Absolutely incredible,” a third fan wrote. “And the best part, a Bills win. Go Bills!”
Buffalo improved to 9-2 with the win and kept pace with Kansas City for the AFC’s No. 1 seed on the road to the Super Bowl.
In turn, Allen and Mahomes produced NFL ratings not seen since the peak of the Tom Brady vs Peyton Manning rivalry.
Outside of Christmas and Thanksgiving holiday games, the NFL hadn’t reached a regular-season audience of 31.2 million since Week 9 of the 2007 season.
That was for the New England Patriots at the Indianapolis Colts, when Bill Belichick was still guiding Brady and Tony Dungy was coming off an Indy Super Bowl win.
Brady outplayed Manning and the Pats won 24-20 on the road.
Seventeen years later, Allen outplayed Mahomes, and the Bills reminded the Chiefs who their biggest rival is.
With Allen heading toward his potential first MVP honor, Mahomes vowed to see the Buffalo QB again when it really mattered — in the playoffs.
Mahomes’ inner confidence in himself and the Chiefs was evident as he told Allen, “We’ll do it again, baby.”
Kansas City has knocked Buffalo out of the playoffs in three of the last four seasons, often in heartbreaking fashion.
But Allen has clearly been a better QB than Mahomes in 2024, and Buffalo is now the only team to beat the Chiefs this year.
Thanks to a growing modern rivalry, the NFL easily beat the Olympics, Academy Awards and NBA Finals for lucrative audience numbers.
talkSPORT is your home of the NFL on UK radio, and you can stay up to date with all the latest from around the league via our dedicated ‘EndZone’ YouTube channel.
