The Philadelphia Eagles, Kendrick Lamar and Fox scored a big win — with Super Bowl LIX shattering viewership records.
The Feb. 9 match-up between the Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs aired across Fox, Fox Deportes, Tubi, Telemundo, and NFL digital properties.
Preliminary figures show the telecast averaged 126 million viewers across all platforms, according to Nielsen fast national ratings and Tubi/NFL First Party Analytics released on Monday evening, Feb. 10.
That viewership number marked a record-high Super Bowl audience and a 2 percent improvement over last year’s record 123.4 million viewers on CBS platforms.
This year’s audience peaked between 8:00 PM and 8:15 PM ET in the second quarter, when a whopping 135.7 million viewers tuned in.
Related: Kendrick Lamar and Serena Williams Team Up at Super Bowl for Ultimate Drake Diss
NEW NO. 1! ?
A projected 126 million viewers watched #SuperBowlLIX – delivering new record-high viewership for the Super Bowl. pic.twitter.com/hiw6NcbeCz
— FOX Sports PR (@FOXSportsPR) February 11, 2025
According to Bleacher Report, the game “went off the rails” for defending champion Kansas City in the second quarter, which went to break with the Eagles ahead 24-0. The game ended with the Eagles winning 40-22.
Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar led this year’s Apple Music halftime show. He was joined by R&B singer SZA, acting legend Samuel L. Jackson and tennis icon Serena Williams.
Surrounded by dancers wearing patriotic red, white and blue outfits, the rapper pulled off a show filled with symbolism and Black pride.
As he stood on top of a vintage Buick GNX, K-Dot told the audience: “The revolution is about to be televised. You picked the right time but the wrong guy (in a play on Gil Scott-Heron’s “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised”).
The rapper performed some of his biggest hits including “HUMBLE.” and “squabble up.”
Jackson played the role of “Uncle Sam” and warned Kendrick the performance was coming off as “too loud, too reckless and too ghetto.” Seemingly reimagining his role of the house servant in Django Unchained, Jackson urged Kendrick to tone it down and “play the game.”
Halfway through the 13-minute set, SZA and Kendrick performed their singles “luther” and “All the Stars.”
“Uncle Sam” returned and told Kendrick “you’re almost there, don’t mess this up” — warning him not to perform his five-time Grammy-winning Drake diss track.
Naturally, Kendrick ignored the advice and launched into “Not Like Us.”
He began by firing a shot at any colonizer out there: “Forty acres and a mule, this is bigger than the music. They tried to rig the game, but you can’t fake influence.”
And he taunted Drake for his two legal filings claiming he was defamed in the diss track.
In a move, most likely to appease the NFL, Kendrick removed the “certified pedophile” line from the song — although he kept the “A minor” verse — prompting the audience at Caesars Superdome in New Orelans to chant along.
The show ended with producer-songwriter DJ Mustard joining Kendrick on stage to perform their hit single “tv off.”
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