We do not currently have a clear-cut rationale for why Sunday Night Football’s ratings have dropped recently, although there’s an argument to be made that the controversy surrounding players kneeling during the National Anthem (a trend started by Colin Kaepernick) as well as physical and mental health issues raised by repeated blows to the head (an issue tackled in the 2015 film Concussion) could potentially factor in.
Now that the data has started to roll in, it looks like Sunday Night Football continued to serve as a popular weekly broadcast.
However, the numbers are decidedly down from last year, as the 18.2 million, which translates to a 13% ratings dip among adults aged 18 to 49, as well as a 10% overall ratings drop.