NBC Scores Highest-Rated 'SNF' Game Ever for Manning's Return

16.5 national rating ties 2010 Kickoff Game as net's highest-rated contest

By Tim Baysinger -- Broadcasting & Cable, 9/11/2012 11:39:30 AM

NFL fans weren't the only ones who were happy to see Peyton Manning back on the football field.

The elder Manning's first game back after missing the entire 2011 season (and first as a Denver Bronco), gave NBC its highest-rated Sunday Night Football telecast since it began the franchise in 2006. The 16.5 national rating also ties with 2010's NFL Kickoff game between the New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings, as the network's highest-rated regular season game ever.

The game also set a record in the adults 18-49 demo, drawing an 11.0 rating, the highest-ever for a primetime regular season contest on NBC, and the highest for any network in 15 years (Broncos-49ers 11.6 on Dec. 15, 1997).

The Broncos' 31-19 defeat of the Pittsburgh Steelers was watched by 27.6 million viewers, NBC's second-most for a regular-season primetime contest.