|
The game featured the much-anticipated Jets
debut of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who exited after tearing his
left Achilles tendon on his fourth snap.
Despite Rodgers' early departure, the Jets beat the Bills 22-16
in overtime on Xavier Gipson's 65-yard punt return for a
touchdown. The Jets announced on Tuesday that Rodgers would miss
the rest of the season.
The game, which aired on ESPN, ABC, ESPN2, ESPN+, and ESPN
Deportes, broke the network's record that was set in 2009, when
the Green Bay Packers faced their former quarterback Brett Favre
and the Minnesota Vikings. That game drew 21.8 million viewers.
The viewership total for this year's season opener of "Monday
Night Football" was up 14 percent from last year's opener
(Denver Broncos vs. Seattle Seahawks) that drew a then-record
19.8 million viewers for a Week 1 Monday night contest.
The breakdown for the Monday viewership included 11.7 million
watching on ABC, 9.4 million on ESPN and 1.52 million on ESPN2,
which aired the "ManningCast" alternate feed featuring Peyton
Manning and Eli Manning.
Sports Business Journal noted that the total MNF viewership this
week topped the most recent totals for the College Football
Playoff final, the men's NCAA Tournament final, the Kentucky
Derby, the Oscars and the Grammy Awards.
--Field Level Media
[© 2023 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content. |
|
