The San Francisco 49ers have known who their regular-season opponents in 2020 would be. Now they know when they’ll play them.
The Niners officially released their schedule at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, using the intro from the HBO television program Westworld as an epic inspiration for the release.
Freeze all motor functions. The 2020 schedule is here.
While leaks confirmed certain things about the itinerary for the 49ers, the 2020 schedule was never leaked in its entirety. After weeks of anticipation, here’s the Niners slate for the fall:
Official Schedule
Preseason
- Week 1: @Denver Broncos (Aug. 13-14, TBD)
- Week 2: Las Vegas Raiders (Aug. 20-24, TBD)
- Week 3: @Chicago Bears (Aug. 27-30, TBD)
- Week 4: Los Angeles Chargers (Sept. 3-4, TBD)
Regular Season
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- Week 1: Arizona Cardinals (Sept. 13, 1:25 p.m.)
- Week 2: @New York Jets (Sept. 20, 1 p.m.)
- Week 3: @New York Giants (Sept 27, 1 p.m.)
- Week 4: Philadelphia Eagles (Oct. 4, 5:20 p.m.) [SNF]
- Week 5: Miami Dolphins (Oct. 11,1:05 p.m.)
- Week 6: Los Angeles Rams (Oct. 18, 5:20 p.m.) [SNF]
- Week 7: @New England Patriots (Oct. 25, 1:25 p.m.)
- Week 8: @Seattle Seahawks (Nov. 1, 1:25 p.m.)
- Week 9: Green Bay Packers (Nov. 5, 5:20 p.m.) [TNF]
- Week 10: @New Orleans Saints (Nov. 15, 1:25 p.m.)
- Week 11: BYE (Nov. 22)
- Week 12: @Los Angeles Rams (Nov. 29, 1:05 p.m.)
- Week 13: Buffalo Bills (Dec. 7, 5:15 p.m.) [MNF]
- Week 14: Washington Redskins (Dec. 13, 1:25 p.m.)
- Week 15: @Dallas Cowboys (Dec. 20, 5:20 p.m.)
- Week 16: @Arizona Cardinals (Dec. 26-27, 5:20 p.m.)
- Week 17: Seattle Seahawks (Jan 3., 1:25 p.m.)
Week 10: @New Orleans Saints
From the moment that the 49ers and Saints concluded their epic 48-46 Week 14 clash last December, fans of football were excited for the next time the two faced off.
San Francisco quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees each threw for 349 yards, with Brees’ edging out Jimmy G by one passing touchdown with five.
However, Garoppolo, tight end George Kittle got the last laugh after a massive play from Kittle set up 49ers kicker Robbie Gould for a chip-shot winner after a game that saw San Francisco come back from two-score deficits.
December 8, 2019
Week 14 vs. Saints
Highlight: George Kittle’s huge catch and run helps set up #49ers‘ game-winning field goal in epic thriller.
If the 2020 edition of this matchup is anywhere close to 2019’s, then NFL fans may be treated to a game-of-the-year contender.
Week 9: Green Bay Packers
San Francisco will look back at last season’s 37-20 NFC Championship victory fondly. Green Bay will not.
The 49ers dropped the metaphorical hammer on the Packers in the first half, jumping out to a 27-0 lead as running back Raheem Mostert crossed the goal-line three times in the first 30 minutes.
Do the Packers know that they’re allowed to tackle Raheem Mostert?
Losing in that fashion means that QB Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay will likely circle that game as a chance to get one back on the Niners, but it’s not like San Francisco won’t be treating the game with as much respect.
This is one of several potential NFC Championship previews, and the 49ers will treat there sole Thursday-night contest as a must-win.
Week 15: @Dallas Cowboys
Whether you consider the Cowboys as “America’s Team” or as your least favorite franchise in football, any battle against Dallas is one to be excited about.
Besides the enticing aspect of taking the road to “Jerry World,” the Cowboys will undoubtedly have high expectations for the 2020 season.
With the addition of wide receiver CeeDee Lamb in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Cowboys boast an impressive offense on paper, with the likes of QB Dak Prescott, WR Amari Cooper and RB Ezekiel Elliot joining Lamb for 2020.
Plus, San Francisco and Dallas haven’t faced off in the regular season since 2017, when the Cowboys trounced the Niners 40-10.
Both teams were in distinctly different situations in those days, so the clash of two teams gunning for playoff success will only add to two of the NFL’s most decorated franchises butting heads.
Week 17: Seattle Seahawks
There’s not much preface needed for a game between the 49ers and the Seahawks. The 2010s featured significant highs for both teams, but like the game against the Saints, it’s recent context that makes this year’s meeting at Levi’s Stadium especially exciting.
After starting the season at a perfect 8-0, the 49ers suffered their first loss of 2019 at home to the Seahawks, after an unfortunate miss from 49ers kicker sub Chase McLaughlin in overtime allowed Seattle kicker Jason Myers knock down a 42-yard field goal for the 27-24 win.
However, the ever-expanding story of the Seahawks and 49ers continued, as San Francisco had the last laugh thanks to a stop in the last second in the pair’s second contest in Week 17.
The win ensured that the NFC playoffs would run through Santa Clara, California, which the Niners capitalized on in their two playoff victories before the Super Bowl loss.
After two of the more memorable games in one of the Pacific Coast’s biggest sports rivalries and the 49ers losing their 2019 win streak at home, Seattle’s return to Santa Clara, California could be the NFC West’s most important game in 2020.
Week 6: Los Angeles Rams
It’s around that time in Week 6 where you get a pretty good idea of where each NFL team is at. For the 49ers, Week 6 will mean welcoming the Rams for their first clash of the season, and it could be a game that speaks volumes heading into the rest of the season.
Besides being an extremely important divisional game for both teams, the context of the previous season helps.
Heading into Week 6 of 2019, which was also a matchup between the Niners and Rams, the 49ers were in the middle of a eight-game win streak to open the season as Jimmy G and the 49ers offense clicked early, while the San Francisco defense was quickly becoming one of the NFL’s best.
The Rams were just removed from a Super Bowl appearance, and after opening up 3-0 to start the season, Los Angeles proceeded to lose three-straight games, including the Week 6 20-7 loss to San Francisco, somewhat setting the Rams up for their mediocre season and a 9-7 finish.
This year, the Rams will be looking to swap roles and rise back up to Super Bowl contention, while dropping the 49ers in the process.
Also Read:
- George Kittle, 49ers Fans Show Gratitude on National Nurses Day[LOOK]
- Kwon Alexander Highlights 3 49ers Defenders Primed to Step Up in 2020
- 49ers DE Nick Bosa’s Zoom Conference: Everything You Need to Know
- Can Salvon Ahmed, Other 49er UDFA RB Additions Make Final Roster?
- Will 49ers WR Jalen Hurd Boom or Bust in 2020?
Evan Reier is a sportswriter covering the San Francisco 49ers and the NFL for Heavy.com and local sports for the Montana Standard in Butte, MT. Reach out to him on Twitter at @evanreier and join our 49ers community at Heavy on 49ers on Facebook.
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San Francisco 49ers 2020 Schedule: 5 Most Interesting Games