The Philadelphia Eagles’ 2025 season opener against the Dallas Cowboys had everything lined up for history—until something unexpected intervened. The game was interrupted by a surprise guest. With 3:44 left in the third quarter and Philadelphia leading 24–20, officials halted play due to lightning and severe weather at Lincoln Financial Field on Thursday night. Players were escorted to the locker rooms as part of NFL safety protocols, and no exact restart time was provided.

According to The Athletic, the NBC broadcast team initially estimated storms might clear by 11:15 p.m. ET, with a 12-minute warm-up period before resumption. The delay dragged out, stretching the night and setting the stage for a massive ratings twist. On X, Dallas Cowboys beat reporter Joseph Hoyt captured the fallout: “Cowboys-Eagles on NBC, according to a station press release, was ‘pacing’ to be the most viewed NFL kickoff game in history before the delay. It finished second all-time for NBC simulcasts.”

He later clarified: “One brief correction: second all-time for NFL Kickoff Games, per NBC *… not all time for NBC simulcasts.” Even with the interruption, the matchup delivered staggering numbers. The Eagles’ 24–20 win averaged 28.3 million viewers across NBC, Peacock, and digital platforms, according to Nielsen and Adobe Analytics. That made it the second-most-watched NFL Kickoff event in domestic TV history, behind only last year’s Ravens–Chiefs opener, which drew 29.2 million.

When play was suspended, the game averaged 31.9 million viewers from 8:23-10:15 p.m. ET. The broadcast was tracking toward 31.6 million total viewers, which would have set a record as the most-watched NFL Kickoff Game in history before the weather interruption. But once play resumed at 11:24 p.m. ET, the audience dipped to 20.2 million, with the final minutes wrapping past midnight. The decline had an outsized impact on the overall average. Nielsen measured the full game—including the extended delay period, though the agency briefly suggested it might exclude that window from its official reporting. Peak viewership reached 34.3 million during the second quarter, meaning the post-delay audience dropped to just 59 percent of that high point.

Weather-related hits to NFL viewership aren’t new. Last October, the Sunday Night Football matchup between the Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers was delayed nearly 90 minutes by storms. That broadcast averaged 20.3 million viewers, the lowest for the franchise to that point in the season and a 23 percent drop from the comparable Week 5 game in 2023. Despite all that weather drama, the Eagles walked away with the win. But let us tell you that wasn’t the only interesting development from the showdown, as another controversy was the center of attention.

The Cowboys, caught in the middle of Jalen Carter’s situation

Jalen Carter didn’t just cross a line on Thursday night—he spat right on it. Literally. The Eagles’ defensive tackle stunned everyone when he got tossed for spitting on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. Carter was tossed from Thursday night’s NFL opener after just six seconds for unsportsmanlike conduct, resulting in a 15-yard penalty before the game’s first snap. Dallas took advantage of the early gift, scoring a touchdown on their opening drive with a 1-yard Javonte Williams rushing TD.

Social feeds lit up, and suddenly Carter wasn’t just a menace in the trenches—he was the headline. But now comes the part that really matters: what happens next? Will the league make an example of him? Or will this storm blow past with little more than a fine?

Here’s where it gets tricky. Normally, if the NFL plans to drop the hammer—especially with a suspension—they do it fast. Mondays for announcements, Tuesdays for appeals, nice and tidy. If Carter were to miss the upcoming clash with the Chiefs, we’d probably know by now. On The Pat McAfee Show, Adam Schefter gave his take, reminding everyone that the league’s usual playbook is a simple one-game suspension. But this is about principle. Back in the spring, Troy Vincent, the NFL’s executive VP, told team execs and coaches point-blank: “We are not going to tolerate anything that demeans the game.” That’s the line Carter just trampled on, and the league has to decide how hard it wants to swing back.

And then there’s the money. Oh, the money always lingers in the background. Carter’s base salary breaks down to $57,222 per game, and some argue he should cough that up since he got himself ejected. Imagine getting paid for a job you didn’t finish—it doesn’t sit right, does it? The NFL knows that, fans know that, and Carter knows that. So whether it’s a suspension, a fine, or both, this decision isn’t just about punishing one player. It’s about sending a message across the league. Sportsmanship is not just for slogans; it needs to be taken seriously on the field.