Friday Night Lights was a major critical success and developed a cult following. However, it was never a ratings hit, which is why Friday Night Lights came to an end. NBC effectively canceled Friday Night Lights after season 5 after the network developed a deal with DirecTV.

The show struggled with gaining enough viewers as early as season 1. Because of that, cancellation was a looming threat during the second season of the show. Poor ratings would ultimately lead to the show's cancellation after the fifth season, but the show's loyal fan base is a large reason that it lasted as long as it did.