The 2026 football season kicked off with a Super Bowl LX rematch between our beloved Seahawks and the Patriots, pulling in an average of 25.1 million viewers for what should have been an electrifying opener. While that number sounds massive, and honestly, it’s good to see the season-opening game has exceeded 25 million viewers for four straight years, that’s just part of the story, isn’t it? The real kicker is that this number is actually down 12 percent from last year’s opener, which saw 28.3 million people watch the Eagles host the Cowboys. Ouch. It was the lowest opener viewership since 2022.
That 12 Percent Drop Is No Joke
Think about that for a second. Our Hawks, in a Super Bowl rematch, and the league saw a 12 percent drop in viewership. That’s not a small dip, folks. Last year, the Eagles and Cowboys, two huge market teams, got more eyes on them. It’s hard not to wonder what gives when a game of that magnitude, the *first* of 283 games in the 2026 season, still can’t hit the numbers we expect. The good news about maintaining above 25 million viewers for four consecutive years, matching the run from 2013 through 2016, feels a little hollow when you realize it’s also the lowest since 2022. We want our Emerald City team at the top of everything, including viewership, right?
Wednesday Night Football? Really, NFL?
So, what’s behind this unexpected slide for a game featuring *our* Seahawks? It’s fair to wonder if the dip had anything to do with the league’s baffling decision to start the season on a Wednesday. A Wednesday? Seriously? The last time Week 1 kicked off on a Wednesday night was back in 2012. That Cowboys-Giants game brought in 23.9 million viewers. Compare that to the Thursday night opener just the year before, when the Saints and Packers pulled in a massive 27.2 million. The Cowboys were (and still are!) the Cowboys, and the Giants had just won the Super Bowl in the nation’s top media market! Yet, a Thursday slot delivered significantly more eyeballs. It’s a lower number than anyone expected for such a marquee matchup, and it truly points the finger at that odd Wednesday vs. Thursday scheduling choice.
This is a wake-up call for the league, and for us, the 12s, it’s a clear sign that how the NFL schedules these blockbusters matters. We need our Hawks to be seen, to dominate the ratings, and to own the conversation. The next time the league wants to put our team in the spotlight, they better make sure they pick a prime spot that gives us the best shot at record viewership. Don’t mess with a winning formula just to try something different.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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