Thanks, Tom Brady! Ageless quarterback helps NBC in ratings

NEW YORK (AP) - The ageless Tom Brady is due a thank you note from NBC.

The Tampa Bay Bucs quarterback helped the network to a smashing audience of 24.8 million viewers for the NFL kickoff game, where he took on and defeated the Dallas Cowboys. That's up from last year's season opener, which reached 19.3 million.

It was a less attractive matchup for the season debut of 'œSunday Night Football,'ť where the Chicago Bears and L.A. Rams were seen by 17.6 million. That's down from the 2020 season debut of the Sunday night franchise, seen by 18.9 million.

Two prime-time football games led NBC to a weekly ratings win, as it averaged 7.8 million viewers. CBS had 3.5 million viewers in prime time, ABC had 3 million, Fox had 2.4 million, Univision had 1.4 million, Ion Television had 1.12 million and Telemundo had 1.06 million.

Fox News Channel led the cable networks in prime time, averaging 2.23 million viewers. ESPN had 1.89 million, HGTV had 1.07 million, MSNBC had 1.06 million and TLC had 910,000.

ABC's 'œWorld News Tonight'ť won the evening news ratings race, averaging 7.8 million viewers. NBC's 'œNightly News'ť had 6.4 million and the 'œCBS Evening News'ť had 4.6 million.

For the week of Sept. 6-12, the 20 most popular programs in prime time, their networks and viewerships:

1. NFL Football: Dallas at Tampa Bay, NBC, 24.81 million.

2. NFL Football: Chicago at L.A. Rams," NBC, 17.64 million.

3. 'œNFL Pregame'ť (Thursday), NBC, 16.21 million.

4. 'œNFL Pregame'ť (Sunday), NBC, 12.81 million.

5. 'œNFL Kickoff,'ť NBC, 10.42 million.

6. 'œ60 Minutes,'ť CBS, 9.98 million.

7. 'œFootball Night in America, Part 3,'ť NBC, 9.97 million.

8. 'œAmerica's Got Talent'ť (Tuesday), NBC, 6.9 million.

9. 'œFootball Night in America, Part 2,'ť NBC, 6.5 million.

10. 'œAmerica's Got Talent" (Wednesday), NBC, 5.95 million.

11. 'œThe O.T.,'ť Fox, 5.78 million.

12. College Football: Washington at Michigan, ABC, 4.75 million.

13. 'œBig Brother'ť (Sunday), CBS, 4.223 million.

14. 'œCelebrity Family Feud,'ť ABC, 4.218 million.

15. 'œAmerica's Funniest Home Videos,'ť ABC, 4.07 million.

16. 'œBig Brother'ť (Wednesday), CBS, 3.89 million.

17. 'œBig Brother'ť (Thursday), CBS, 3.86 million.

18. 'œFBI" (Thursday, 8 p.m.), CBS, 3.42 million.

19. 'œFBI'ť (Thursday, 9 p.m.), CBS, 3.37 million.

20. 'œ20/20'ť (Friday, 9 p.m.), ABC, 3.34 million.