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Donald Trump Made A Big Claim About NFL Ratings — Then The Real Numbers Came Out

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This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.

Donald Trump (Photo Via Imagn Images)

President Donald Trump claimed his speech humbled the NFL’s opening night TV ratings, but the actual numbers tell a completely different story.

Trump spoke at the Republican Party’s midterm convention last Wednesday night, the exact same time the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots kicked off the 2026 season in a Super Bowl 60 rematch.

The next morning, Trump posted on Truth Social, bragging that his speech drew a larger audience than the game, writing, “The overall numbers beat the NFL.”

That claim got rejected fast. According to CNN, the Seahawks-Patriots game drew over 25 million viewers, while Trump’s speech drew only around 3 million.

The Numbers Tell A Different Story

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba scores a touchdown against the New England Patriots (Photo By Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images)

The gap between the two figures makes Trump’s claim difficult to support. The NFL game attracted more than eight times as many viewers as the reported audience for Trump’s speech.

CNN also pointed out that Trump framed his post in a way that makes a complete fact-check difficult. His reference to “overall numbers” could include streaming or other forms of viewership. Still, the available figures clearly indicate that the NFL game was the bigger TV draw that night.

“The NFL game drew more than 25 million viewers. Trump’s speech reached about 3 million viewers,” CNN reported.

Trump has continued to praise the convention and his speech despite the ratings figures. He described the event as a “major, sold out hit” and said it performed well despite going up against the NFL.

“It was really something, streaming all over the place, and really big numbers, despite going up against the NFL,” Trump wrote.

The timing also created an unusual ratings battle. The Republican Party scheduled its first midterm convention on the same nights as the first two NFL games of the season.

For now, the available TV figures offer little support for Trump’s claim. The Seahawks-Patriots matchup clearly drew the larger reported audience on opening night.

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