FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, August 29th, 2017

NFL KICKOFF GAME MARKS 200TH REGULAR SEASON GAME IN NBC’S “SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL” PACKAGE – A LOOK BACK

NBC, the Only Network with 2 NFL Primetime Packages, Opens 2017 NFL Season With the NFL Kickoff Game on Thurs., Sept. 7

NBC’s Sunday Night Football Debuts on Sun., Sept. 10

Cowboys, Giants & Steelers Rank 1-2-3 in SNF Appearances; Peyton Manning Tops SNF in Wins by Starting QB

23 Games in NBC’s SNF Package Have Averaged 25 Million Viewers – More Than Triple All of Primetime TV’s Regular Shows Combined in Same Span (Since ’10)

STAMFORD, Conn. – August 29, 2017 – When NBC Sports presents the AFC West-champion Kansas City Chiefs at the Super Bowl-champion New England Patriots in the NFL Kickoff game next Thursday, Sept. 7, it will mark the 200th regular-season game in the NBC Sunday Night Football package (includes Thanksgiving night and NFL Kickoff games).

The 2006 NFL Kickoff game (Pittsburgh’s 28-17 win over Miami on Sept. 7, 2006) was the first NBC regular-season primetime telecast in the SNF package, while Green Bay’s division title-clinching 31-24 victory over Detroit on Jan. 1, 2017 was Game #199.

The last six years of NBC’s Sunday Night Football have been history-making, as SNF has been primetime TV’s No. 1 show for a record six consecutive seasons – tying American Idol for the most consecutive years atop the charts (since 1950), based on live plus same day data provided by The Nielsen Company. Prior to 2011, a sports series had never been primetime television’s top show for a full season.

Twenty three (23) games in the NBC SNF package have topped 25 million viewers (all since 2010) – more than triple the rest of regularly-scheduled primetime TV shows (six) in that span (since Sept. 9, 2010).

Following is a year-by-year and statistical look back at the first 199 games of NBC’s Sunday Night Football:

NBC’s Sunday Night Football – A Timeline of the First 199 Games

Sept. 7, 2006 – NFL Kickoff 2006: Miami at Pittsburgh – NBC’s first regular-season game since 1997 season.

Sept. 10, 2006 – NBC Sunday Night Football opener – Indianapolis Colts vs. New York Giants in first-ever meeting between Peyton and Eli Manning, a 26-21 Colts victory.

Nov. 19, 2006First ever NFL “flex scheduling” – Chargers at Broncos moves to primetime in Week 11 of NBC’s SNF.

Dec. 9, 2007Indianapolis QB Peyton Manning throws 300th career TD pass in the Colts’ Week 14 SNF win over the Baltimore Ravens.

Sept. 4, 2008NFL Kickoff game on NBC (Redskins-Giants) begins at 7 p.m. ET – 90 minutes earlier than the start time of the traditional season opener due to the Republican National Convention, which NBC News covers following the conclusion of the game.

Oct. 19, 2008Al Michaels & Cris Collinsworth work their first game together – Seahawks at Bucs on SNF, giving John Madden a week off from cross-country travel.

Nov. 16, 2009 – Colts remain unbeaten at 9-0 after coming back from 17 points behind to defeat Patriots 35-34 in a game known for New England’s decision to go for a first down on 4th & 2 from its own 28-yard line with 2:08 remaining in the fourth quarter. Patriots came up short. Four plays later, Peyton Manning throws the game-winning TD pass to Reggie Wayne.

Oct. 31, 2010NBC televises its first SNF game on same night as World Series game.  Steelers-Saints averages 18.1 million viewers on NBC, while Giants-Rangers WS Game 4 averages 15.5 million viewers on FOX. It was the first time that a primetime NFL regular-season game topped a World Series game on the same night.

Dec. 28, 2010 – NBC televises Vikings-Eagles SNF game on Tuesday, Dec. 28, due to a blizzard in Philadelphia on Sunday, Dec. 26. It was the first NFL game played on a Tuesday since 1946 (New York Giants vs. Boston Yanks, 10/1/46). Vikings-Eagles averaged 23.7 million viewers.

Sept. 8, 2011 – Four NBCUniversal networks – VERSUS, USA, Syfy and G4 – carry opening hour of NFL Kickoff 2011 pregame show (leading into Saints-Packers) in place of NBC, which covers speech by President Barack Obama.

Sept. 5, 2012 – NBC televises NFL Kickoff game (Cowboys-Giants) on a Wednesday night, avoiding the 2012 Democratic National Convention, where President Barack Obama accepts party’s nomination in a Thursday night speech. It was the first NFL game played on a Wednesday since 1948 (L.A. Rams-Detroit Lions, 9/22/48).

Sept. 9, 2012 – In his first game with the Denver Broncos (in the SNF season opener), QB Peyton Manning throws his 400th career TD pass (vs. Pittsburgh).

Oct. 7, 2012New Orleans QB Drew Brees throws TD pass in NFL-record 48th consecutive game, breaking Johnny Unitas’ 52-year old mark (47) in a Week 5 Chargers-Saints SNF game.

Nov. 22, 2012 – A new tradition begins with NBC’s first-ever NFL primetime game on Thanksgiving (New England at N.Y. Jets). This game is also known for the Jets’ second quarter “butt fumble” which the Patriots returned for a TD.

Dec. 30, 2012 – The Week 17 NFC East championship “win-and-in” game between the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins is the most-watched regular-season Sunday night game in NFL history (30.3 million viewers).

Sept. 5, 2013 – In the NFL Kickoff game, Denver’s Peyton Manning throws 7 TD passes vs. Baltimore, tying an NFL record which had last been matched in 1969.

Sept. 15, 2013 – Despite a 60-minute, first-quarter weather delay, the Week 2 San Francisco-Seattle SNF matchup was the most-watched primetime NFL game between West Coast teams in 18 years (20.5 million viewers).

Oct. 20, 2013Broncos QB Peyton Manning’s (Week 7 SNF) return to Indianapolis, where he played 13 seasons for the Colts, averaged 26.9 million viewers, ranking as the most-watched October NFL primetime telecast in 21 years.

Nov. 24, 2013 – It was Brady-Manning XIV on SNF in Week 12, as Tom Brady led the Patriots’ biggest comeback victory ever (from 24 points behind) in defeating Peyton Manning and the Broncos, 34-31, in overtime.

Oct. 19, 2014Broncos QB Peyton Manning throws 509th TD pass in a win over the 49ers on SNF in Week 7, breaking Brett Favre’s NFL career record.

Sept. 10, 2015Tom Brady sets the NFL record for most regular-season wins by a QB with one team (161) in Patriots’ NFL Kickoff game win over Steelers.

Oct. 4, 2015Saints QB Drew Brees throws 400th career touchdown pass in Week 4 SNF victory over Cowboys. Brees’ milestone TD pass is an 80-yarder to win the game 13 seconds into OT – the quickest regular-season overtime victory in NFL history.

Nov. 1, 2015 – The 6-0 Green Bay Packers visit the 6-0 Denver Broncos on Sunday Night Football in the first-ever primetime game featuring opponents with records of 6-0 or better.

Nov. 26, 2015 – The most-watched Thanksgiving primetime game in NFL history (27.8 million viewers for Bears-Packers) features Brett Favre’s “Ring of Honor” halftime ceremony, with a special appearance from Packers legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Bart Starr.

Nov. 27, 2016Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill scores three touchdowns in Week 12 SNF victory over Denver – becoming the first player since Hall of Famer Gale Sayers in 1965 to score by reception, return and rush in a game.

Jan. 1, 2017Lions QB Matthew Stafford reaches 30,000 career passing yards faster than any player in NFL history (109 games) in a Week 17 SNF loss to Green Bay. Hall of Famers Dan Marino and Kurt Warner held the prior mark (114 games).

ON-AIR TEAM (by NFL season)

In the Sunday Night Football booth

Al Michaels & John Madden 2006-2008
Al Michaels & Cris Collinsworth 2009-present


On the sidelines for Sunday Night Football

Andrea Kremer 2006-2010
Michele Tafoya 2011-present


Sunday Night Football
show open – performers

Pink 2006
Faith Hill 2007-12
Carrie Underwood 2013-present

VIEWERSHIP

SNF RANKS #1 IN PRIMETIME FOR RECORD 6TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR 

NBC’s Sunday Night Football finished the 2016-17 TV season as primetime’s #1 show in all key metrics for a record sixth consecutive year – tying American Idol for the most consecutive years atop the charts (since 1950), based on live plus same day data provided by The Nielsen Company. Sunday Night Football also ranked as the No. 1 show in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic for the seventh consecutive TV season.

Most Consecutive Years, #1 Ranked Show in Primetime, Since 1950

6 years in a row – Sunday Night Football (2011-12 through 2016-17)

6 years in a rowAmerican Idol (2005-06 through 2010-11)

5 years in a rowThe Cosby Show (1985-86 through 1989-90)…tied Cheers in ‘89-90

5 years in a rowAll in the Family (1971-72 through 1975-76)

4 years in a rowGunsmoke (1957-58 through 1960-61)

  • Since the beginning of the 2011-12 TV season, only nine primetime shows have averaged 20+ million viewers, all on NBC – Sunday Night Football six times, the 2012 London Summer Games, the 2014 Sochi Winter Games, and the 2016 Rio Summer Games.


ON THE FIELD

NBC has televised 199 regular-season primetime NFL games since NBC’s Sunday Night Football debuted on September 7, 2006. Among the notable facts and figures:

New Stadiums Debuting on NBC’s Sunday Night Football

Lucas Oil Stadium (Colts) 2008
AT&T Stadium (Cowboys) 2009
Levi’s Stadium (49ers) 2014
U.S. Bank Stadium (Vikings) 2016
Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Falcons) 2017*

*Week 2 this season

Most NBC SNF Games since 2006, Team

Dallas Cowboys 38
New York Giants 30
Pittsburgh Steelers 28
Philadelphia Eagles 27
Indianapolis Colts 26
Green Bay Packers 25
New England Patriots 25
Denver Broncos 22
Chicago Bears 21
New Orleans Saints 15
Seattle Seahawks 15


Most Played Matchups on NBC SNF, Since 2006

Cowboys-Giants 10
Cowboys-Eagles 10
Eagles-Giants 7
Ravens-Steelers 6
Bears-Packers 6
Cowboys-Redskins 6
Colts-Patriots 5
Packers-Vikings 4
Cowboys-Saints 4
Broncos-Chiefs 4
Bengals-Steelers 4


Most Games by Stadium on NBC SNF, Since 2006

Sports Authority Field at Mile High 14
AT&T Stadium 13
Heinz Field 13
Lambeau Field 13
Lincoln Financial Field 11
MetLife Stadium 11
Gillette Stadium 10
Lucas Oil Stadium 10
Giants Stadium 9
Mercedes-Benz Superdome 9

 

Most Points by Team in a Game on NBC SNF, since 2006

Saints (vs. Colts), 10/23/11 62
Packers (vs. Bears), 11/9/14 55
Eagles (vs. Bears), 12/22/12 54
Chargers (vs. Broncos), 12/28/08 52
Broncos (vs. Ravens), 9/5/13 49
Saints (vs. Cowboys), 11/10/13 49
Vikings (vs. Giants), 12/27/15 49


Most NBC SNF Games by a Player, since 2006

L.P. LaDouceur 38
Jason Witten 38
DeMarcus Ware 37
Eli Manning 30
Tony Romo 29
Greg Warren 28
Doug Free 28
Zak DeOssie 27
Peyton Manning 27
Miles Austin 27


Most Wins as Starting QB on NBC SNF

Peyton Manning 21-6
Tony Romo 17-11
Ben Roethlisberger 16-9
Tom Brady 15-7
Aaron Rodgers 13-9


Most TD passes on NBC Sunday Night Football

Peyton Manning 65


Most rushing TDs on NBC Sunday Night Football

Brandon Jacobs 13


Most receiving TDs on NBC Sunday Night Football

Antonio Brown 15
Dez Bryant 15
Rob Gronkowski 15

– SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL –