SANTA CLARA – Six prime-time kickoffs are strewn across the 49ers’ schedule, dawning with a Sept. 9 opener against the New York Jets, then saving the NFC Championship Game rematch with the Detroit Lions for Dec. 30.
Both of those games are on “Monday Night Football” at Levi’s Stadium, where a bit of a dark cloud hovers over those bright lights.
The 49ers lost both of their Monday night games last season – at Minnesota in Week 7, and against Baltimore on Christmas. That dropped the 49ers to 4-6 on Mondays since 2017 under coach Kyle Shanahan. Mind you, last season’s Super Bowl-bound 49ers did win their three other prime-time games: The home opener against the Giants, Week 5 against the Cowboys, and Thanksgiving night at the Seahawks.
The Lions’ Monday night visit comes in the regular season’s penultimate week, so NFC playoff seeding could be on the line if both franchises follow last season’s path to the top two seeds.
Between prime-time affairs at Seattle (Thursday, Oct. 10) and against Dallas (Sunday, Oct. 27) is a Super Bowl LVIII rematch against the Kansas City Chiefs at Levi’s Stadium on Oct. 20 at 1:25 p.m. Also in prime time is the 49ers’ Sunday, Dec. 1 visit to Buffalo, and a Thursday, Dec. 12 home game against the Rams.
The 49ers even have a preseason game in prime time, the only one they’re hosting: Aug. 18 against the New Orleans Saints (5 p.m.). Bracketing that are exhibitions at the Tennessee Titans and the Las Vegas Raiders.
The 49ers have not maxed out at six prime-time games since 2019, when they originally were slated for three, then were flexed into three more en route to the NFC’s No. 1 seed and a Super Bowl berth. Overall, the Shanahan-coached 49ers are 15-13 in prime-time kickoffs: 0-1 in 2017, 1-2 in 2018, 5-1 in 2019, 1-3 in 2020, 1-3 in 2021, 4-1 in 2022, and 3-2 last season.
Flex scheduling could change kickoff times, and the 49ers last got bumped from prime time before a December 2021 win at Seattle and a December 2020 loss at Dallas.
Here is the 49ers’ regular-season schedule:
WEEK 1: Monday, Sept. 9
vs. New York Jets (5:15 pm, ESPN)
It’s Year 20 of the 49ers Didn’t Draft Aaron Rodgers storyline. For a second straight year, the Jets debut on “Monday Night Football,” presumably with Rodgers, who tore his Achilles four snaps into his Jets debut last year.
WEEK 2: Sunday, Sept. 15
at Minnesota Vikings (10 am, CBS)
Instead of going to London for the first time since 2013, the 49ers will visit Minneapolis for the second straight year (third if you count the 2021 preseason). A pro tip for a first-year defensive coordinator: Don’t call an all-out blitz on third-and-6 from the Vikings’ 40-yard line just before halftime.
WEEK 3: Sunday, Sept. 22
at Los Angeles Rams (1:25 pm, Fox)
The 49ers have won five straight regular-season visits to Levi’s South. If Matthew Stafford goes down with an injury by this game, then Jimmy Garoppolo could face his old team (not the Patriots nor the Raiders but the 49ers).
WEEK 4: Sunday, Sept. 29
vs. New England Patriots (1:05 pm, Fox)
New coach (Jerod Mayo), new quarterback (Drake Maye), but don’t forget about four-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Matthew Judon, who had 15.5 sacks in 2022 before a biceps tear scuttled his 2023 encore.
WEEK 5: Sunday, Oct. 6
vs. Arizona Cardinals
Since being swept by the Cardinals in 2021, the 49ers have averaged 39 points in winning the past four meetings.
WEEK 6: Thursday, Oct. 10
at Seattle Seahawks (5:15 pm, Prime)
There won’t be a plump turkey on a silver platter awaiting the 49ers like last Thanksgiving here. It seems so early to have this game in Seattle, but it also completes the first round against NFC West foes.
WEEK 7: Sunday, Oct. 20
vs. Kansas City Chiefs (1:25 pm, Fox)
Pain. That’s what the Chiefs consistently inflict on the 49ers, such as their Super Bowl matchups in the 2019 and 2023 seasons, plus a 2018 Chiefs home win (Jimmy Garoppolo torn ACL) and a 2022 Chiefs road win (44-23).
WEEK 8: Sunday, Oct. 27
vs. Dallas Cowboys (5:20 pm, NBC)
Hard to fathom that in 2020, this NFC rivalry game was flexed out of prime time. The Cowboys have lost at Levi’s Stadium each of the past two seasons, including their 2022 divisional-round visit.
WEEK 9: Sunday, Nov. 3
BYE
WEEK 10: Sunday, Nov. 10
at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10 am, Fox)
The 49ers have won their past three meetings with the Bucs: the 2019 opener at Tampa, a December 2022 triumph in Brock Purdy’s starting debut (and Tom Brady’s Bay Area farewell), and a 27-14 victory last November at Levi’s Stadium.
WEEK 11: Sunday, Nov. 17
vs. Seattle Seahawks (1:05 pm, Fox)
For the first time in 15 years, the Seahawks come to town without San Francisco native Pete Carroll as coach. His successor is Mike Macdonald, who was the Baltimore Ravens’ defensive coordinator when they intercepted Brock Purdy four times in a Christmas night rout at Levi’s Stadium.
WEEK 12: Sunday, Nov. 24
at Green Bay Packers (1:25 pm, Fox)
Any pilgrimage to Lambeau Field can be special, but this one won’t top the 49ers’ last scene there, when the 2021 team upset the No. 1-seeded Packers in a snow-capped divisional playoff game.
WEEK 13: Sunday, Dec. 1
at Buffalo Bills (5:20 pm, NBC)
The 49ers’ last visit here was in 2016, when they lost 45-16 and Chip Kelly inserted Colin Kaepernick back into the lineup for the final 11 starts (1-10) of his NFL career. The Bills are two years away from moving into a new stadium in Orchard Park.
WEEK 14: Sunday, Dec. 8
vs. Chicago Bears (1:25 pm, Fox)
No. 1 pick Caleb Williams looks to win for a third straight year in the Bay Area. With USC, he won at Stanford in 2022 (341 yards, four TD) and at Cal in 2023 (369 yards, two touchdowns).
WEEK 15: Thursday, Dec. 12
vs. Los Angeles Rams (Thursday, 5:20 pm)
While stashing starters for the playoffs, the 49ers lost last season’s Week 18 visit by the Rams, ending a nine-game streak of regular-season wins. Up until last season, the 49ers drew a prime-time game against the Rams for six straight seasons, though their 2018 game was flexed to daytime.
WEEK 16: Sunday, Dec. 22
at Miami Dolphins (Sunday, 1:25 pm)
Mike McDaniel’s super-speedy offense welcomes the 49ers to South Beach (actually, Hard Rock Stadium is up the road in Miami Gardens).
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WEEK 17: Monday, Dec. 30
vs. Detroit Lions (Monday, 5:15 pm)
The 49ers spotted the Lions a 24-7 halftime lead in their last visit, when the 49ers claimed the NFC Championship with a 34-31 comeback win on Jan. 28.
WEEK 18: TBD, Jan. 4-5
at Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals took wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. as the No. 4 pick to get more out of quarterback Kyler Murray. A 49ers win would even their record at State Farm Stadium to 8-8 – not counting their 2020 relocation during COVID.
