It should be no surprise that the NFL Super Bowl is one of the year’s most-watched events. Here are the most watched Super Bowls in NFL history.
Most watched Super Bowls in NFL history
Not every Super Bowl is created equal or brings in the same ratings. Some end up being a boring game, and the Super Bowl ratings tend to suffer from it. So, which Super Bowls were the most watched of all time?
Super Bowl XLIX is the most-watched Super Bowl
Go figure that Tom Brady is involved in the most-watched Super Bowl of all time. Super Bowl XLIX between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots pulled in a staggering 114.44 million viewers in 2015.
Super Bowl XLIX isn’t only the most-watched Super Bowl in history, but it is also the most-watched single network broadcast in US TV history.
Fans who tuned in saw one of the most head-scratching endings in Super Bowl history. Pete Carroll, on the one-yard line, chose to throw the ball rather than use RB Marshawn Lynch. As a result, the Patriots’ Malcolm Butler intercepts the pass, and the rest is history.
In addition to the historic game, the Super Bowl ratings were also aided by Katy Perry’s halftime performance that gave the world Left Shark.
Super Bowl XLVIII – 112.19 million viewers
In second place on the most-watched Super Bowl lists is Super Bowl XLVIII. Particularly, this Super Bowl features the quarterback who was second to Tom Brady during most of their career, Peyton Manning. This time, however, he was sporting the orange of the Denver Broncos instead of the Indianapolis Colts’ blue.
The Broncos came to MetLife Stadium to take on Russell Wilson and the 13-3 Seattle Seahawks. Both number one seeds from each conference were meeting in the Super Bowl. The Seahawks overpowered the Broncos to capture their first Super Bowl in franchise history with a 43-8 victory.
Super Bowl XLVIII is in second place of most-watched games with 112.19 million people tuning in to the final game of the 2013-2014 season.
Super Bowl LV fell short compared to other years
Everyone wanted to see if Patrick Mahomes could lead the Kansas City Chiefs to victory over Tom Brady and his Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After leaving the New England Patriots in the offseason, Brady was back in the big game chasing his seventh ring.
Safe to say, the game did not go the way most expected. Not only did the Buccaneers win, but they also routed the Chiefs 31-9. Mahomes ran for his life all game. According to Next Gen Stats, Mahomes ran for 497 yards before throwing the football or getting sacked by the Buccaneers’ defense.
Brady completed 21 of 29 passes for 201 yards with three touchdowns in the win. For his performance in the Super Bowl, Brady was honored as the game’s MVP. Much to the dismay of a very vocal group on social media.
However, Super Bowl LV fell short of being the most viewed Super Bowl of all time. According to Nielsen, 91.63 million people watched last year’s matchup between the Chiefs and Buccaneers.
Super Bowl LV has a higher rating in the Boston area than Tampa
According to John Ourand of Sports Business Journal, Super Bowl LV has a rating of 57.6 in the Boston area. On the other hand, the Tampa region has a DMA rating of just 52.3.
The 57.6 rating in Boston surpasses the rating generated for all but one of the Patriots’ Super Bowl appearances. No matter where Brady plays, the people in Massachusetts are going to watch. I wonder if Bill Belichick had the Super Bowl on his TV?