Patriots vs. Texans shatters ESPN viewership records in divisional round
The 2026 NFL Divisional Round matchup between the New England Patriots and the Houston Texans did more than determine a trip to the conference championship game. It rewrote the history books of sports television in the United States, driven by the massive audience that tuned in to watch Drake Maye lead New England to victory and continue his path toward the Super Bowl.Pat McAfee says Travis Kelce will be BACK with the Chiefs next seasonAccording to official Nielsen figures, the game averaged 38 million combined viewers across ESPN and ABC platforms, making it the most-watched event in ESPN's history since the cable network was founded in 1979.The game, which ended in a 28-16 Patriots victory on Sunday, January 18, 2026, surpassed every previous broadcast on the network, including college football national championship games and marquee editions of Monday Night Football.For […]