COWBOYS-BUCCANEERS ON NBC AND PEACOCK IS MOST-WATCHED NFL KICKOFF GAME SINCE 2015 WITH TOTAL AUDIENCE DELIVERY OF 26 MILLION VIEWERS

NBC's NFL Kickoff Game is Most-Watched Show Since Super Bowl LV in February

Cowboys-Buccaneers on Peacock and NBC Sports Digital is Most-Streamed NBC NFL Game, Excluding Super Bowls

Matthew Stafford Makes Los Angeles Rams Debut in First-Regular Season Game with Fans at SoFi Stadium vs. Khalil Mack & Chicago Bears This Sunday on NBC, Peacock and Universo; Coverage Begins with Football Night in America at 7 p.m. ET, Followed by SNF at 8:20 p.m. ET

STAMFORD, Conn. - September 10, 2021 - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' thrilling 31-29 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in the opening game of the NFL season last night on NBC and Peacock ranks as the most-watched NFL Kickoff Game since 2015, which was also the most-watched season in NBC Sunday Night Football history.

Cowboys-Bucs registered a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) average of approximately 26.0 million viewers across NBC TV, Peacock, NBC Sports Digital, and NFL Digital platforms, based on preliminary data - marking the largest NFL Kickoff Game audience since Steelers-Patriots in 2015 (27.4 million viewers) and up 20% from last year's NFL Kickoff Game (21.6 million TAD for Texans-Chiefs, 9/10/20).

With an average of approximately 24.4 million viewers on NBC, the NFL Kickoff Game is television's most-watched show since Super Bowl LV in February.

NBC's TV coverage peaked at 25.4 million viewers between 9:45-10 p.m. ET and topped 22 million viewers in 11 of the 14 quarter-hours from 8:30 p.m. ET through 11:55 p.m. ET.

The Average Minute Audience (AMA) for last night's live stream via Peacock, NBC Sports Digital platforms, NFL Digital platforms, Cowboys and Buccaneers mobile properties, and Yahoo Sports mobile properties was approximately 1.6 million viewers - the highest ever for an NBC NFL game, excluding Super Bowls - and up 64% from last year's NFL Kickoff Game (970,000).

Viewership figures are based upon preliminary data from Nielsen and Adobe Analytics. Official national data for NBC will be available on Monday.

Last night's game (8:24 p.m.-11:55 p.m. ET) registered a national TV household rating of 13.4/32 - up 20% from last year (11.2/23).

TOP METERED MARKETS FOR COWBOYS-BUCCANEERS (based on 44 markets available):
1. Dallas 29.1/56
2. San Antonio 25.5/45
3. Tampa 24.6/50
4. Providence 23.1/44
5. Austin 22.9/46
6. Boston 21.4/43
7. Cleveland 20.3/40
8. Jacksonville 20.1/38
9. Norfolk 19.9/39
10. Milwaukee 17.7/37

NBC Sports' NFL Kickoff Weekend coverage continues this Sunday, Sept. 12 with the season opener of Sunday Night Football as fans get their first regular-season look at the sights and sounds of the new and spectacular SoFi Stadium with a full crowd in attendance, as well as the Rams debut of quarterback Matthew Stafford. The Rams host Khalil Mack and Chicago Bears, who welcome two new quarterbacks in Andy Dalton and first-round draft pick Justin Fields.

Coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET with Football Night in America, with SNF kickoff at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC, Peacock and Universo. The new Peacock Sunday Night Football Final follows all SNF games, providing analysis of each Sunday game along with highlights and interviews.

--SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL--