More than 16.5 million viewers tuned in to Prime Video’s Thursday night NFL game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns in Week 4, setting a new record for this time slot since the streaming service took over broadcast rights last year. Amazon reported an average audience of 16.59 million for the game, a 19-percent increase over last year’s Week 4 matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals, which drew 13.94 million viewers.
The surge in viewership highlights the growing appetite for the NFL’s Thursday night offering on streaming platforms. Prime Video assumed exclusive rights to Thursday Night Football in 2022, aiming to expand the league’s digital footprint. The Week 4 ratings now stand as the highest for a Thursday night game in this early part of the season under Amazon’s tenure.
The Steelers-Browns game was notable not just for its numbers but also for a moment between Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and head coach Mike McCarthy, where an audible expletive was caught on the broadcast. This interaction drew attention across social media, underscoring the raw, unfiltered nature of live streaming sports.
Amazon has not addressed questions about whether the reported figures might be inflated by the platform’s autoplay feature, which automatically plays the game for Prime members visiting the site during the broadcast. This practice could increase viewership counts, but Amazon has not confirmed any adjustments or clarifications regarding the methodology behind the numbers.
Despite this, the NFL benefits from the exposure and growing audience for Thursday night games, which have become a regular fixture in the weekly schedule. Prime Video’s involvement appears to have boosted interest in this midweek slot, traditionally seen as less prominent than Sunday or Monday games.
The league is reportedly considering expanding its prime-time football offerings beyond Thursdays to include Tuesday and Wednesday nights, though no official announcements have been made. The high viewership for the Steelers-Browns game adds weight to discussions about broadening the NFL’s weekly presence on streaming platforms.
For now, Thursday Night Football on Prime Video remains a solid part of the NFL’s broadcast lineup, with Week 4’s record audience offering a glimpse of how streaming services are reshaping how fans watch the sport.
According to Yahoo Sports.