NFL Divisional Round Breaks ESPN Record, CFP Championship Hits High Viewership

February 1, 2026 Alex Carter - Sports Editor Sport

Here’s a breakdown of the key ⁢information from the provided text:

* NFL Playoffs are a TV Draw: ⁤ The divisional round of the 2025-26 NFL playoffs averaged 39.2 million viewers, a ⁣5% increase⁢ from the previous year.
* Top Game: The LA Rams vs. Chicago Bears game on NBC (and Peacock streaming) was the most-watched,averaging 45.4 million viewers.
* ESPN/ABC⁢ Record: The New England ⁢Patriots vs.⁣ Houston Texans game on⁢ ESPN and ABC averaged 37.97 million viewers, marking ESPN’s most-watched event ever. ESPN notes this is the largest non-Super Bowl event in Disney’s history (since 1996).
* CBS Record: CBS also set a record (details not provided⁣ in‍ this excerpt).
* Data Collection Note: There’s a caveat that changes in data collection methods⁢ might contribute to the viewership increase.
* Streaming Impact: Streaming ⁤viewership is increasingly being included⁣ in these numbers, especially for ⁢NBC’s ‍Peacock service.
* Image Caption: The image shows Fernando ‍Mendoza, a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, and ‍notes ⁤the CFP ⁢national⁤ Championship game had‍ a strong showing on ESPN.