Thanksgiving Showdown: Fox Targets Record Audiences with Eagles-Cowboys Clash
The Highly Anticipated Thanksgiving Day Matchup
Fox, in its annual presentation to advertisers in New York, announced a significant strategic move: the broadcast of an Eagles-Cowboys game during the late-afternoon slot on Thanksgiving Day. This decision is poised to leverage one of the NFL's most intense rivalries, with the explicit goal of exceeding the remarkable 57.2 million average viewership achieved by last year's Chiefs-Cowboys game on CBS during the same window.
Breaking Viewership Ceilings in Holiday Sports
The record-setting audience for last year's Thanksgiving game has fueled optimism among league and network executives, who now believe there are no limits to the viewership potential on this national holiday. Despite the Eagles' Super Bowl LIX victory, they typically do not command the same viewership pull as teams like Kansas City, which featured in four of the top five most-watched games of the 2025 regular season. Nevertheless, the NFL continues its successful initiative to transform holiday games into monumental events.
Nielsen's Evolving Measurement Techniques
Adding to Fox's advantage is Nielsen's enhanced methodology for tracking co-viewing within households. A recent trial demonstrated that this new approach resulted in a 4.2% increase in audience figures during major events in February, including Super Bowl LX. This advancement builds upon Nielsen's earlier introductions, such as the Big Data + Panel process in September and an expanded count of out-of-home audiences that commenced in early 2025, all contributing to a more comprehensive viewership assessment.
Thanksgiving Football: A Consistent Ratings Leader
Regardless of specific measurement adjustments, the late-afternoon Thanksgiving game consistently ranks as the most-watched broadcast of every NFL regular season. The upcoming Eagles-Cowboys encounter marks the Eagles' eighth appearance on Thanksgiving and their first game in Dallas on the holiday since 2014, promising a compelling and highly-watched event.
Unveiling the Full NFL Schedule
The announcement of the Thanksgiving game is one of several reveals by NFL rights holders leading up to the complete schedule release. NBC initiated this trend by declaring another NFC East rivalry—the Cowboys versus the Giants—as the kickoff for its Sunday Night Football schedule. Additionally, Fox recently secured broadcasting rights for two more NFL games in the 2026 season: an international game in Germany featuring the Lions during Week 10 and a Saturday contest in Week 15, further broadening its NFL coverag
