Jimmy Fallon looks to score with post-Sunday Night Football episodes
TOI World Desk | Sep 02, 2025, 22:28 IST
NBC is pairing The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon with Sunday Night Football for four special episodes this fall, aiming to boost late-night ratings by leveraging the NFL’s massive primetime audience. The first episode airs September 21 after the Kansas City Chiefs vs. New York Giants game, with guests including Matthew McConaughey, Eric Church, and NFL stars like Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley. Additional episodes follow key matchups involving the Packers, Steelers, Lions, Eagles, Texans, and Chiefs. This strategy highlights a growing trend in late-night television: networks using live sports events to drive viewership and create appointment-based programming.
NBC is turning to Sunday Night Football to help boost the ratings of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon this fall. The network announced that the talk show will feature four special episodes after highly anticipated Sunday night games between September and December, using the football audience to draw in viewers.
This strategy isn’t new for NBC. Last November, Fallon hosted a special episode after a Cincinnati Bengals vs. Los Angeles Chargers game, featuring Jon Hamm, Lindsay Lohan, and Pharrell. That experiment was successful, leading NBC to expand the idea this season.
“The collaboration with NBC Sports for these Sunday night episodes is always a highlight for us,” said Tonight Show showrunner Chris Miller. “We’ve always loved connecting with sports and are excited to be part of Sunday Night Football again this season.”
The first Fallon-NFL special airs September 21, right after a Kansas City Chiefs vs. New York Giants game. Guests include Matthew McConaughey and Eric Church. The game has extra buzz thanks to Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce’s recent engagement to pop superstar Taylor Swift.Fallon will also welcome NFL stars like Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley during the season. While guests for the other special episodes haven’t been announced, the schedule matches key Sunday Night Football games:
October 26: Green Bay Packers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
November 16: Detroit Lions vs. Philadelphia Eagles
December 7: Houston Texans vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Sunday Night Football consistently leads NBC’s ratings. Last season, its viewership more than doubled that of the network’s next closest competitor, Chicago Fire. The Tonight Show has found it hard to break into the top 15 in recent years, though some episodes with guests like Greg Gutfeld and the Jonas Brothers temporarily boosted ratings.
For fans eager to see Fallon and NFL stars sooner, The Tonight Show will also air a regular post-game episode after the season opener on September 4, when the Philadelphia Eagles face the Dallas Cowboys at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. Fallon’s episode will follow at 11:35 p.m. ET.
This fall, NBC is betting that combining primetime football with top talk show guests will create a winning formula for both ratings and entertainment value.
Fallon x NFL: a proven experiment
This strategy isn’t new for NBC. Last November, Fallon hosted a special episode after a Cincinnati Bengals vs. Los Angeles Chargers game, featuring Jon Hamm, Lindsay Lohan, and Pharrell. That experiment was successful, leading NBC to expand the idea this season.
“The collaboration with NBC Sports for these Sunday night episodes is always a highlight for us,” said Tonight Show showrunner Chris Miller. “We’ve always loved connecting with sports and are excited to be part of Sunday Night Football again this season.”
Kickoff episode and guest lineup
The first Fallon-NFL special airs September 21, right after a Kansas City Chiefs vs. New York Giants game. Guests include Matthew McConaughey and Eric Church. The game has extra buzz thanks to Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce’s recent engagement to pop superstar Taylor Swift.Fallon will also welcome NFL stars like Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley during the season. While guests for the other special episodes haven’t been announced, the schedule matches key Sunday Night Football games:
October 26: Green Bay Packers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
November 16: Detroit Lions vs. Philadelphia Eagles
December 7: Houston Texans vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Ratings and expectations
Sunday Night Football consistently leads NBC’s ratings. Last season, its viewership more than doubled that of the network’s next closest competitor, Chicago Fire. The Tonight Show has found it hard to break into the top 15 in recent years, though some episodes with guests like Greg Gutfeld and the Jonas Brothers temporarily boosted ratings.
For fans eager to see Fallon and NFL stars sooner, The Tonight Show will also air a regular post-game episode after the season opener on September 4, when the Philadelphia Eagles face the Dallas Cowboys at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. Fallon’s episode will follow at 11:35 p.m. ET.
This fall, NBC is betting that combining primetime football with top talk show guests will create a winning formula for both ratings and entertainment value.