Micah Parsons and the Green Bay Packers are a hit with viewers.
The All-Pro edge rusher's debut with his new team garnered monster ratings for CBS during Week 1, as the Packers' 27-13 win over the Detroit Lions earned 23.891 million viewers. It was the most-watched Week 1 game since the NFL returned to CBS in 1998.
Overall, CBS had its most-watched Week 1 since 1998 with an average of 20.378 million viewers on Sunday, which was a 15% increase over the 2024 season.
The @NFLonCBS scored big with record-setting audiences across its platforms in Week 1 pic.twitter.com/KSxSgRpNuE
— CBS Sports PR (@CBSSportsGang) September 9, 2025
When the Dallas Cowboys traded Parsons to the Packers on August 28, it may have created a ratings juggernaut in Green Bay. The Packers have a big national fanbase, and now have one of the NFL's top defensive players to go along with a young, exciting offense.
Parsons was outstanding in Week 1. He recorded his first sack with the Packers and helped create a turnover by putting pressure on Lions quarterback Jared Goff. The perennial Pro Bowler seemed to fit right in with his new team.
It seems viewers loved what they saw.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as CBS Smashed Viewership Records With Micah Parsons's Packers Debut in Week 1.