After record-breaking TV viewership, Cowboys have chance for another big number

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (left) and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (right) greet each other after the Thanksgiving Day game in Arlington, Texas. Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

After record-breaking TV viewership on Thanksgiving, Cowboys have chance for another huge number in Week 14

By John Banks | Last updated Dec 3, 2025 1:26 PM ET

If you ever doubted the Dallas Cowboys’ drawing power, the TV viewership from their latest game should put that to rest.

Dallas' Thanksgiving Day game against the Kansas City Chiefs — a 31-28 Cowboys win — drew a record 57.23 million viewers on CBS, the network announced Wednesday.

The previous record for most-watched regular-season game was 42.1 million from a Thanksgiving matchup in 2022 between the Cowboys and New York Giants.

This year's viewership smashed that record by 36 percent, CBS Sports said.

Historic viewership for Chiefs-Cowboys: 57.230 million viewers

Most-watched regular-season game ever, shattering previous record by 36%

Audience peaked with more than 61 million viewers

Full release: https://t.co/aeOWDsqOJ5 pic.twitter.com/mqOmcn8wSL
— CBS Sports PR (@CBSSportsGang) December 3, 2025

Of course, the reigning AFC champion Chiefs are a significant TV draw, too, but Kansas City is nowhere near as popular as the Cowboys.

(For comparison, according to the Hollywood Reporter, Fox’s early Thanksgiving afternoon broadcast of Green Bay's win over Detroit averaged 47.7 million viewers, making it the network’s biggest regular-season game of all time.)

Cowboys have chance to get another high viewership number

This begs a question: What will viewership be for Dallas' game at Detroit on "Thursday Night Football?" While it's not expected to be in the same ballpark as Thanksgiving Day TV numbers, the game should get a huge rating, too.

The Cowboys, who have won three straight games, are among the hottest teams in the NFL and are fighting for a playoff spot. Dallas is powered by a dynamic passing game led by quarterback Dak Prescott (3,261 yards passing, No. 2 in the NFL) and wideouts George Pickens (1,142 yards receiving, eight TD catches) and CeeDee Lamb (744 yards, three TD catches).

Dallas (6-5-1) trails NFC East–leading Philadelphia (8-4), which has dropped two straight. Detroit (7-5) is also fighting for its postseason life, sitting behind Green Bay (8-3-1) and the first-place Bears (9-3) — all of which makes Thursday night’s matchup (8:15 ET, Prime Video) must-see TV.

John Banks

A longtime editor at ESPN and The Dallas Morning News, Banks has written for The New York Times, Civil War Times, America's Civil War, Military Images and other publications. He lives in Nashville.

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