Record Number of Fans Watched Cowboys Get Humbled by Giants on Sunday Night Football

The Dallas Cowboys ' Week 1 loss to the New York Giants was already the most expensive ticket in NFL opening-week history and now it turns out a record number of people were watching from home, too.

NBC's Sunday Night Football broadcast of the Giants' 26 September win at MetLife Stadium drew an average of 25.7 million viewers across NBC linear and Peacock streaming, making it the highest-rated Week 1 primetime game in 11 years.

Cowboys -Giants become most watched week 1 game since 2015

Despite their confidence heading into the season, the Dallas Cowboys led by Dak Prescott fell to the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on September 13, 2026. A record number of viewers tuned in to witness the defeat.

According to NBC , the game smashed viewership records for a Week 1 primetime game in years, pulling in an average of 25.7 million viewers across NBC linear and Peacock streaming. This marked the highest-rated season-opening Sunday night contest in 11 years and made 2026 the first year since 2015 in which both the Thursday night season opener and the Sunday night Week 1 game cleared 25 million viewers.

On the field the Giants delivered a statement 28-20 victory despite Cowboys peaked confidence from the offseason and preseason. Giants were in control and they never trailed and controlled the game with superior execution on both sides of the ball. The game started with the Giants taking an early lead and building a commanding 14-7 halftime advantage. In the second half, the Cowboys mounted a late push but couldn't overcome the deficit.

The defeat wasn't taken lightly by the Cowboys. Led by Dak Prescott in the offense and a revamped defense, Cowboys showed confidence way before the season began. Stumbling on the first game was a "humbling" experience and head coach Brian Schottenheimer reflected on it.

Brian Schottenheimer opens up on Cowboys "pretty poor" Week 1 performance

Brian Schottenheimer reflected on the game after it ended and he just accepted what he felt. He didn't explain or complain, he just admitted they were poor today.

"As a football team, we were pretty poor," Schottenheimer said . "This is a humbling business and we got humbled tonight. That's what I told the guys. We lost mile one of a 17-mile marathon, and we have to be better, and we will be better."

But it's still the beginning of the season and Schottenheimer realizes that they were not going to go undefeated and it's not the time to give up. "We're not going to panic," Schottenheimer said. "This is a long season, and we know we're not going to go undefeated."

According to Schottenheimer, both their offense and defense wasn't up to the mark. "This one feels pretty bad just because at the end of the day, we just didn't perform the way we're capable of playing. We didn't play defense the way we're capable of playing. We didn't play offense in the first half the way we're capable of playing."

While the Giants celebrated their first win of the season under John Harbaugh, Schottenheimer's words served as a clear reminder to the Cowboys. The window for excuses had closed, and accountability would now be on the young players who were expected to carry the franchise forward.