ARLINGTON, Texas -- Patrick Mahomes last week reached 35,000 regular-season passing yards faster than any player in NFL history. But that mark won’t even marinate for 96 hours before he helps his team break another one. And it’s a significant reason the Chiefs are thankful. The NFL considers their franchise and the eyeballs it attracts as something resembling a Taylor Swift concert with Garth Brooks as an opening act.Dec 25, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (middle) and tight end Travis Kelce (right) open their Netflix Christmas GameDay cake after the Chiefs defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn ImagesWhen Kansas City visits Dallas on Thanksgiving (3:30 p.m. CT, CBS/KCTV, Channel 5, 96.5 The Fan), the NFL gets the world’s team against America’s Team. The net result, according to industry experts, will shatter the league’s regular-season viewership record.The existing recordDallas helped to establish the existing regular-season record of 42.1 million viewers at AT&T Stadium three years ago on Thanksgiving, the Cowboys’ 28-20 victory over the Giants. Many analysts predict the Chiefs and Cowboys this week will blast that record into the stratosphere, potentially topping 50 million.“It's an honor to be asked to play on those days,” head coach Andy Reid said Tuesday, asked about playing on both Thanksgiving and Christmas. “It means you're doing, or have done, halfway decent, right? So, it's not a lot of games being played either one of those two days. That's what I think. That's the way you have to approach it.”Nov 16, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid before the game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn ImagesThrow in Packers-Lions in the early game (12 p.m. CT, FOX), the leadoff hitter in a Thanksgiving triple-header that concludes with Joe Burrow’s return in Baltimore, and the NFL has as good of a single-day schedule as the league has ever compiled.The NFL and the Chiefs have a lot for which to be grateful. In fact, Green Bay’s trip to Detroit could also break that regular-season record from three years ago in Dallas, only hours before Chiefs-Cowboys breaks it again.Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) makes a catch for a touchdown against Detroit Lions cornerback Amik Robertson (21) during the first half at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesEntering 2022, the largest viewership for a regular-season NFL game was 41.5 million for a New York Giants-San Francisco 49ers on a Monday night in 1990. Combined, the first two games this year on Thanksgiving will more than double that figure.Kansas City also holds a share of the all-time viewership record, 127.7 for FOX’s production of Super Bowl 59 in February. And four of the five largest television audiences this season include the Chiefs, another reason to be grateful. That quartet of ratings darlings includes the most-watched 2025 game so far, 33.8 million for Kansas City’s 20-17 loss at home to the Eagles in Week 2 on FOX.Sep 14, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) looks to pass against the Philadelphia Eagles during the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images“You grew up watching Thanksgiving games,” said Mahomes, who hails from Whitehouse, Texas, less than three hours from AT&T Stadium. “No matter who you're a fan of, if it's the Lions, the Cowboys or whoever's playing at night. I mean, you grew up watching those games, and so I think that kid in me wants to be able to go out there and play on Thanksgiving and find a way to win.“And, obviously, short week where we're grinding in here right now and getting the whole gameplan in and making sure everybody's prepared and ready to go. But I think we're excited to get to go out there and play on Thanksgiving against a really good football team and the whole world watching.”Sep 4, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (88) is unable to make a reception defended by Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean (33) during the fourth quarter of the game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn ImagesDallas, meanwhile, played in the fifth game in that group, drawing 28.3 million in the traditional kickoff game on NBC against the Eagles in Week 1.The league and television networks should release final viewership numbers next week.Don’t miss what’s on the horizon for your beloved team, Chiefs Kingdom. The best in-depth news is available totally FREE with our newsletter, fresh in your inbox every day. SIGN UP HERE NOW.