Report: Chiefs-Bills sets AFC title game viewership record

Field Level Media|published: Tue 28th January, 17:22 2025

NFL: AFC Championship-Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs

Jan 26, 2025; Kansas City, MO, USA; Recording artist Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) react after the AFC Championship game against the Buffalo Bills at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Kansas City Chiefs' 32-29 win Sunday over the Buffalo Bills was the most-watched AFC Championship game in history with 57.4 million viewers on CBS, according to the Sports Business Journal.

That eclipsed the 55.5 million set the previous year for the Chiefs' 17-10 victory against the Baltimore Ravens.

It was the highest number for any AFC or NFC title game since the New York Giants' 20-17 triumph against the San Francisco 49ers had an audience of 57.6 million on Jan. 22, 2012.

Sunday's NFC Championship on FOX, played in the earlier broadcast slot, averaged 44.2 million viewers to see the Philadelphia Eagles roll to a 55-23 win over the Washington Commanders.

That was the lowest number for an NFC title game since 2019.

In addition to the later time slot, potential reasons for the much higher audience for Chiefs-Bills includes the game being closer and featuring two high-profile quarterbacks -- the Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes and the Bills' Josh Allen -- as well as the presence at the game of pop star Taylor Swift, the girlfriend of Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce.

--Field Level Media