Week 8 of the 2023 NFL season saw a host of increases, with just one package declining from a year ago.
Fox’s singleheader broadcast, which featured Rams-Cowboys going to nearly half of the country in the early window, averaged 19.977 million viewers. That’s the most-watched singleheader on any network so far in 2023 and a 24% increase on last year’s singleheader.
The @NFLonFOX delivered in Week 8 with the most-watched NFL singleheader on any network this season.
Additionally, the FOX NFL pregame shows dominated as FOX NFL SUNDAY continues on pace to become the most-watched NFL pregame show for the 30th consecutive season. 🏆 pic.twitter.com/0KBWWfMYEz
— FOX Sports PR (@FOXSportsPR) October 31, 2023
CBS had the doubleheader and delivered another impressive week. Bengals-49ers, the national game of the week, averaged 26.056 million viewers. That’s the most-watched game of the season for CBS, the second-most-watched game NFL overall (behind Eagles-Jets in Week 6 on Fox), and the most-watched Week 8 window on CBS since it regained NFL rights in 1998.
The NFL ON CBS continues its record-setting season with its best Week 8 viewership since the NFL returned to CBS in 1998.
National game, led by Bengals-49ers, delivered more than 26 million viewers pic.twitter.com/9wlw4gTMWr
— CBS Sports PR (@CBSSportsGang) October 31, 2023
The early half of the doubleheader, with Jaguars-Steelers going to most of the country, averaged 13.466 million viewers, up double digits from last year. Altogether, CBS averaged 19.633 million viewers in Week 8, the network’s best Week 8 overall since 1998.
The NFL’s decision not to flex Bears-Chargers out of Sunday Night Football did not pay off. The game averaged 15.720 million viewers on NBC, the only Week 8 window to decline year-over-year and the least-watched SNF window of the season so far.
Amazon also continued its tremendous growth for Thursday Night Football on Prime Video in 2023. Bucs-Bills averaged 11.22 million viewers, the seventh straight week of double-digit increases for the package on the season.
In Week 9, Prime Video has Titans-Steelers on Thursday Night Football. The week’s best game is Dolphins-Chiefs, taking place in Germany and airing in the morning on NFL Network. Fox has the doubleheader, airing Rams-Packers early and Cowboys-Eagles late. CBS has the singleheader, highlighted by Seahawks-Ravens. In primetime, NBC will air Bills-Bengals on Sunday Night Football while ABC and ESPN will air Chargers-Jets on Monday Night Football.
