Sports · American Football · 54 mins ago
Bears-Buccaneers game draws 21.5 million viewers
The Bears beat the Buccaneers 27-24 on Sunday night in an NFL game carried by NBC and Peacock.
The game drew 21.5 million viewers, making it the biggest Week 9 Sunday night audience since 2019.
It was also the seventh Sunday night game in 2026 to attract more than 20 million viewers.
The Bears have become a major draw, and the close score may have helped bring in viewers.
Two upcoming games are expected to top 20 million viewers: Steelers-Bengals in Week 10 and Vikings-49ers in Week 11.
The Vikings and 49ers are due to play in Mexico City.
The next audience figures will show whether those games meet expectations.
The Bears’ 27-24 win over the Buccaneers drew 21.5 million viewers for NBC and Peacock.
It was the biggest Week 9 Sunday night audience since 2019.
It was the seventh 2026 Sunday Night Football audience to exceed 20 million viewers.
ProFootballTalk said the Bears have become a significant draw, especially in close games.
- Who
- The Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers played in the game.
- What
- The Bears won 27-24, drawing 21.5 million viewers for NBC and Peacock.
- When
- Sunday night; the exact date is not stated.
- Where
- Not stated.
- Why
- The audience was attributed to the Bears’ growing appeal and the close game.
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- Audience
- 21.5 million viewers
- Final score
- Bears 27, Buccaneers 24
- Broadcast platforms
- NBC and Peacock
- Audience milestone
- Biggest Week 9 Sunday night audience since 2019
- 2026 milestone
- Seventh Sunday night audience to exceed 20 million viewers