The 49ers won 12 games last year despite massive injuries to key players likequarterback Brock Purdy, defensive end Nick Bosa, and linebacker Fred Warner.
All three are on target to return this year, and if they and the49ers can stay relatively healthy, it’s setting up for a big season in the Bay Area.
The NFL agrees, with the 49ers being featured five times in prime time during the 2026 season, including matchups against the Rams in Australia to kick the season off, and games against the Commanders on Monday Night Football, the Vikings onSunday Night Football in Mexico City, a Thursday night matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers, and a Sunday night home game against the Eagles in Week 17.
It’s a difficult but manageable schedule for a team with Super Bowl aspirations.
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The 49ers’ annual regular-season trips to Los Angeles over the years have had a strong home-field feel, simply because so many of their fans invade SoFi Stadium. It remains to be seen what the crowd will look like in Australia, but between the travel and the opponent and the importance of the outcome, this is as tough as it gets for the 49ers.
The last time the 49ers played at Lumen Field, they simply ran out of gas in a 41-6 loss in the divisional round of the playoffs. It was a wounded, taxed team against a club just starting its Super Bowl run. The return trip will not be any easier, but the 49ers are hoping to be in much better physical shape.
You could go in all sorts of directions here, even staying right in the NFC West, but the Eagles are always a formidable opponent. Plus, their season ended last season in a playoff loss to the 49ers. They have long memories in Philly, so you add revenge to the list of why this will be a handful for the 49ers. Plus, there are all sorts of playoff implications this time of the year.
The Cardinals are shaping up as the patsies in the otherwise brutal NFC West. That is bad news for them, because the 49ers, Rams, and Seahawks will be licking their chops knowing one big punch could set up an easy day at the office. The 49ers should make quick work of the Cardinals before turning their attention to bigger fish to fry.
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