The Thanksgiving NFC East clash between the Washington Football Team and the Dallas Cowboys was the most watched NFL game of the 2020 season. An average of 30.333 million viewers watched Washington crush the Cowboys 41-16, according to John Ourand of The Sports Business Journal.
Additionally, the game logged 562,623 viewers on an average-minute basis which was the most ever for any FOX Thanksgiving telecast.
Football on Thanksgiving has become a national tradition. FOX was able to cash in on the Cowboys’ enviable 4:30 time slot.
The national audience was introduced to Washington’s rookie running back Antonio Gibson. Gibson became the first rookie to score three touchdowns in a Thanksgiving game since Randy Moss did in 1998. He also was the first running back to rush for 100 yards and score three touchdowns since Detroit Lions’ running back Barry Sanders in 1997.
Still, the viewing numbers were slightly down from last year’s Thanksgiving prime time slot. The Cowboys and the Buffalo Bills drew an average of 32.538 million on CBS in 2019. Washington and the Cowboys in 2018 drew 30.524 million on FOX. Nonetheless, it was a huge win for the NFL.
