NFL's Hall of Fame Game Draws Biggest Audience Since 2021
Despite two teams coming off losing seasons, the Panthers-Cardinals Hall of Fame Game had the biggest TV audience since 2021.
The Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers played their annual Hall of Fame Game on Thursday in Canton, Ohio, drawing the largest audience since 2021. Both teams featured legends who had recently been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The game, broadcast on NBC, averaged 6.99 million viewers, a slight increase from the previous year's matchup between the Los Angeles Chargers and Detroit Lions.
Despite both teams posting losing records in the 2026 season, the clash between the two historic franchises attracted more viewers than anticipated. The low-profile nature of the game, with most starters sitting out, underscores the general interest in football heading into the 2026 season, which could see record-breaking viewership.
Written by urgent.news from Newsweek's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
