Rams vs. Bears smashes 30 year NBC record with 45.4 million viewers

The Los Angeles Rams and Chicago Bears delivered more than just a thrilling playoff finish on Sunday night. Their snowy, overtime divisional-round clash rewrote television history by becoming the most-watched divisional playoff game in NBC’s history.According to NBC, the Rams-Bears game averaged 45.4 million viewers across NBC and Peacock. Viewership peaked at an astonishing 52.6 million during the closing minutes of overtime, when Harrison Mevis drilled the game-winning field goal to send the Rams to the NFC Championship Game.It was the biggest audience for a divisional playoff game on NBC since 1988, breaking a record that had stood for more than three decades.

A 30-year-old record finally falls

Before Sunday night, NBC’s highest-rated divisional playoff game was the Chiefs vs. Oilers matchup in January 1994, featuring Joe Montana and Warren Moon. That game drew 41.1 million viewers.The Rams–Bears contest beat that mark by more than four million viewers, setting a new benchmark for the network.This year’s audience was also a significant jump from last season. The comparable Sunday night divisional game in 2025, between the Ravens and Bills on CBS averaged 42.2 million viewers.

The latest figure reflects a 7.5 percent increase, underlining the NFL’s growing reach.

Of the 45.4 million average viewers, around 5.3 million watched the game through streaming platforms mainly on Peacock and NBC’s digital services.This made it the largest NFL digital audience ever recorded by NBC Sports outside of the Super Bowl. The strong streaming numbers highlight how younger and mobile audiences are now a major part of NFL viewership.With fans watching on TVs, phones, tablets and laptops, the league continues to benefit from both traditional broadcasts and digital growth.

Why this game drew massive numbers

Several factors helped drive the massive numbers. The game itself was a classic snow, defense, late drama and overtime. Close playoff games tend to attract casual viewers, and this one delivered from start to finish.

The Rams’ star power also played a role. With Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua and Davante Adams leading the offense, Los Angeles has been one of the most entertaining teams this season.

Chicago’s young core added intrigue, making it a must-watch matchup.Timing mattered too. Sunday night remains the NFL’s premium television slot, and with no major competition from other sports, fans tuned in in huge numbers.The record-breaking night is a big boost for the league as it heads toward Super Bowl LX on February 8. With playoff ratings already surging, the NFL is now on track to challenge last year’s Super Bowl as the most-watched single-network event in US television history.