Aaron Rodgers made his official debut for the New York Jets on Monday in a classic AFC East showdown against the Buffalo Bills. Rodgers played a total of four snaps and his season as a Jet was cut short after tearing his Achilles in the first 75 seconds.
Despite Rodgers’ absence, the Jets vs. Bills game was the biggest Monday Night Football game ever. It brought in 22.6 million viewers on ESPN setting a record audience. The previous record was held when Vikings quarterback Brett Farve returned to play against the Green Bay Packers for the first time with 21.8 million viewers.
New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills Sets Monday Night Football Record
Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets set a new record on Monday Night Football against the Buffalo Bills.
The primetime game was the most-watched Monday Night Football game ever on ESPN. The game had 22.6 million viewers on the main telecast and 1.52 million viewers on the ManningCast, which features commentary by Peyton and Eli Manning.
The viewership rose 14 percent year-over-year, up from 19.8 million viewers in Monday Night Football’s Denver Broncos vs. Seattle Seahawks in Week 1 last season.
The game peak reached 25.2 million in the first half when the Bills took a 10-3 lead and fans tuned in to find out how seriously Rodgers was hurt.
How Rodgers’ Injury Affects the NFL
After signing Aaron Rodgers in the offseason, there was a lot of hype surrounding the New York Jets. Along with a lot of media coverage, including HBO Hard Knocks, the Jets were scheduled in six prime-time games this season, including the first-ever Black Friday game.
There were an estimated 122 million unique viewers during Week 1 this season, which is on track to score the most-watched Opening Weekend in NFL history.
Not only did the Jets’ Super Bowl hopes go down the drain but Rodgers’ injury will affect the league as a whole. Now that Rodgers is hurt, there could be a huge effect on TV ratings and viewership numbers for the Jets’ remaining five primetime games.
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