How the Chiefs Shattered Another NFL Record on Thanksgiving

The Kansas City Chiefs played one of the most important games of the season last week on Thanksgiving against the Dallas Cowboys. When you play on Thanksgiving, it is something special, and when you are doing it against the team that is always on during that special day is another. These two teams have had many eyes on them over the last few years, both for different reasons.

The Chiefs did not have the outcome that they wanted, and now they are hanging by a thread to their playoff hopes. They are on the outside looking in right now. That is a problem and one they have an opportunity to fix, but they are going to have to run the table.

Nov 27, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws a pass for a touchdown against Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Quinnen Williams (92) during the fourth quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

"CBS broadcaster Jim Nantz called last Thursday’s late-afternoon NFL game perfect confluence of three of the biggest brands in American culture — the Dallas Cowboys, the Kansas City Chiefs and Thanksgiving," said Richard Deithsch of The Athletic.

The most-watched regular season game in the NFL history — and a head-spinning viewership number.

A whopping 57.2 million viewers watched Dallas’ 31-28 Thanksgiving Day victory over Kansas City on CBS, per a source with knowledge of the data. The late-afternoon game’s average viewership shattered the previous regular-season record set three Thanksgivings ago, when the Cowboys and Giants drew 42 million viewers in 2022 on FOX.

bhn — Nov 2, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid speaks with the referees during the third quarter against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

The record was not accidental. The NFL made a strategic decision this year to pit its two most-watched teams against each other on its most-watched day of regular-season football. Viewership is the engine that drives the NFL, and setting a new regular-season viewership record, especially by this much, is news that will cross over from the “inside baseball” world of sports media and sports business writers into the broader sports-fan ecosystem.

Both the Chiefs and Cowboys have big challenges ahead to make the postseason. As of today,The Athletic’s NFL Playoff Simulator had the Chiefs with a 37% chance to make the playoffs while the Cowboys were at 23%.

Nov 27, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) and Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson (87) talk after the game at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Chiefs will now turn the page and continue their last push for a playoff spot. The Chiefs will likely need to win out to get in. The Chiefs have a tough game and another primetime battle against the Houston Texans. The Chiefs have their work cut out for them, and if they want to get into the dance, they will need to win starting this Sunday. The pressure is on, and we are going to see how the Chiefs respond.

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