A near-record 27.4 million TV viewers watched the Patriots’ win over the Steelers on Thursday night, which made it the second-most watched Thursday opener since the NFL started the midweek tradition in 2002.
The game trailed only the 27.5 million that watched the Saints’ win over the Brett Favre-led Vikings in 2010, and was up over the 27.1 million that watched the Seahawks’ win over the Packers last year.
The Patriots’ win delivered a rating of 16.2/28 rating nationally, which was also the second-highest in the history of the Thursday openers.
Boston was the top market to watch the game, delivering a 39.