
via NFL press release:
MOST-WATCHED CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP
SUNDAY IN 29 YEARS
JETS-STEELERS MOST-WATCHED AFC CHAMPIONSHIP EVER
AVERAGE OF 53.4 MILLION VIEWERS WATCHED EACH GAME
Football fans across America continue to tune in to NFL games, resulting in the most-watched conference championship Sunday in 29 years. An average of 53.4 million viewers watched NFL games last weekend, the most for an NFL conference championship Sunday since January 1982 (game-by-game comparison below).
The New York Jets-Pittsburgh Steelers AFC Championship Game on CBS drew 54.8 million viewers ranking as the most watched AFC championship ever.
The Green Bay Packers-Chicago Bears matchup on FOX drew 51.9 million viewers to rank as the third NFC Championship Game in four years to average more than 50 million viewers.
2010 NFL Conference Championship Games
| Date | Network (Game) | Viewers |
| Jan. 23, 2011 | FOX (Packers at Bears) | 51.9 million |
| Jan. 23, 2011 | CBS (Jets at Steelers) | 54.8 million |
| CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND | AVERAGE | 53.4 million |
1981 NFL Conference Championship Games
| Date | Network (Game) | Viewers |
| Jan. 10, 1982 | NBC (Chargers at Bengals) | 51.6 million |
| Jan. 10, 1982 | CBS (Cowboys at 49ers) | 68.7 million |
| CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND | AVERAGE | 60.2 million |
Source: NFL & The Nielsen Company





