Nick Wagoner, ESPN Staff WriterMay 15, 2024, 08:00 PM ET
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- Nick Wagoner is an NFL reporter at ESPN. Nick has covered the San Francisco 49ers and the NFL at ESPN since 2016, having previously covered the St. Louis Rams for 12 years, including three years (2013 to 2015) at ESPN. In his 10 years with the company, Nick has led ESPN's coverage of the Niners' 2019 Super Bowl run, Colin Kaepernick's protest, the Rams making Michael Sam the first openly gay player drafted to the NFL, Sam's subsequent pursuit of a roster spot and the team's relocation and stadium saga. You can follow Nick via Twitter @nwagoner
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The San Francisco 49ers' 2024 schedule was released along with the rest of the NFL slate Wednesday.
As the defending NFC champions, the 49ers will face all three teams they met last postseason: the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs. And, once again, the Niners will be on prime time plenty, with a pair of Monday night games at home (against the Jets and Lions), two Sunday night games (at the Buffalo Bills and at home against the Dallas Cowboys) and a pair of Thursday night games (at the Seattle Seahawks and home against the Los Angeles Rams).
That's all set against the backdrop of the Niners, who have been to at least the NFC Championship Game in four of the past five seasons, attempting to overcome any potential Super Bowl hangover and finally break through for the franchise's sixth Lombardi Trophy. Since 1977, only three teams have lost in the Super Bowl and gone on to win it the following season.
Here's what's in store for the 49ers:
49ers 2024 regular-season schedule
Week 1: Sept. 9 vs. N.Y. Jets (MNF)
Week 2: Sept. 15 at Minnesota
Week 3: Sept. 22 at L.A. Rams
Week 4: Sept. 29 vs. New England
Week 5: Oct. 6 vs. Arizona
Week 6: Oct. 10 at Seattle (TNF)
Week 7: Oct. 20 vs. Kansas City
Week 8: Oct. 27 vs. Dallas (SNF)
Week 9: BYE
Week 10: Nov. 10 at Tampa Bay
Week 11: Nov. 17 vs. Seattle
Week 12: Nov. 24 at Green Bay
Week 13: Dec. 1 at Buffalo (SNF)
Week 14: Dec. 8 vs. Chicago
Week 15: Dec. 12 vs. L.A. Rams (TNF)
Week 16: Dec. 22 at Miami
Week 17: Dec. 30 vs. Detroit (MNF)
Week 18: Jan. 4 or 5 at Arizona
Strength of schedule: .505 (T-12th)
Over/Under: 11.5
Biggest takeaway
Forget what the strength of schedule says -- this is not an easy setup for the 49ers, as there are multiple potential season-defining stretches. A three-week stretch right before the bye that begins Oct. 10 with a trip to Seattle followed by home games against Kansas City and Dallas should set the stage for the second half of the season. But what comes after the bye could be the most daunting. A lengthy trip to Tampa before a home game against Seattle, followed by back-to-back trips to Green Bay and Buffalo, will go a long way in determining the Niners' playoff chances and potential seeding.
Revenge game
There isn't much to debate, as the Week 7 matchup against the Chiefs stands out. Kansas City has been and remains the single biggest obstacle to the Niners winning the franchise's sixth Lombardi Trophy. Kansas City beat the Niners in overtime in Super Bowl LVIII and stormed back to beat them in Super Bowl LIV, and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is 4-0 against San Francisco. This is the 10th time there has been a rematch of the previous season's Super Bowl, though history indicates a get-back win for the Niners won't come easy. While the Niners will have the benefit of a few extra days' rest, the team that won the Super Bowl is 6-3 in the next-year rematches.
Bold prediction
Defensive end Nick Bosa will win his second Defensive Player of the Year award. After what he considered a down year in 2023 (10.5 sacks, 35 quarterback hits), Bosa is in position to have a big season. With no concerns about contract negotiations this year, Bosa will be in training camp healthy and on time, which should have him ready to go when the season starts. The Niners' change at defensive coordinator will help tie the pass rush and coverage together more coherently to create more pass-rush opportunities. What's more, San Francisco signed veteran edge rusher Leonard Floyd in free agency to give Bosa the best complement he has had on the other side since Dee Ford, which will get Bosa close to the 18.5 sacks he had when he won DPOY in 2022.
