The San Francisco 49ers’ 2024 season is rapidly winding down, and following their tough Monday Night Football loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 17, the team now faces the reality of finishing in last place in the NFC West, regardless of the outcome of their Week 18 matchup with the Arizona Cardinals.

This marks a striking fall from grace for a team that entered the season with high aspirations, aiming to bounce back stronger than their Super Bowl loss in 2023. The 49ers had claimed the NFC West title in both 2022 and 2023, making their current position even more disappointing.

However, there is a silver lining in this unfortunate turn of events: the 49ers will now face a last-place schedule in 2025, which could present a more favorable path to recovery. As the calendar turns and preparations for the new season begin, the 49ers will find themselves facing teams that are, on paper, less competitive, giving them a prime opportunity to bounce back and reassert themselves as perennial contenders.

Let’s take a deeper look at the 2025 schedule and what it means for the 49ers as they begin to chart their course for the upcoming season.

2025 Away Opponents:

As the 49ers look to the road ahead, their away opponents present a mix of challenges and opportunities. Notably, they will travel to New York to face the Giants and to Tampa Bay to take on the Buccaneers, two games that will require long travel distances. Despite the distance, the 49ers are familiar with the difficulties of playing on the road. They triumphed during a long trip to Tampa in 2024, proving they can handle these lengthy excursions with confidence. Moreover, the Giants are likely to be in the midst of a rebuilding year, possibly competing for the No. 1 draft pick, making it a very winnable game for the 49ers.

2025 Home Opponents:

Back at home, the 49ers will host several teams that finished the 2024 season with losing records, creating a favorable environment for success. With only eight home games on the 2025 schedule, San Francisco will need to capitalize on their home field advantage, particularly when facing teams that struggled in 2024. If the 49ers perform as expected, they should be well-positioned to rack up victories at Levi’s Stadium and put themselves in a stronger playoff position.

Observations and Strategic Outlook:

After a brutal stretch toward the end of the 2024 season, the 49ers are set to benefit from a considerably easier schedule in 2025. They will face just four teams that made the 2024 playoffs, a relatively low number when compared to the more competitive matchups they faced this year. Of the 17 scheduled games, the 49ers will only play six against teams that posted a winning record in 2024. This number could potentially increase to seven, depending on the outcome of the Week 18 matchup between the Atlanta Falcons and their opponents.

Despite these opportunities, there is a slight downside to the 49ers’ 2025 schedule. With only eight games slated to be played at home, the team will spend a fair amount of time on the road, which can be taxing over the course of a full season. However, the benefits of facing so many teams with losing records at home could help offset the challenge of their extended road trips. Furthermore, five of their eight home games will be against teams coming off disappointing seasons, presenting an excellent chance for San Francisco to rack up much-needed wins.

Will the 49ers Play International Games in 2025?

While the NFL has not yet confirmed which teams will play in international games in 2025, Commissioner Roger Goodell has hinted at scheduling eight such games for the season. We already know that Spain will host a game in Madrid and Germany will do the same in Berlin. There will also be additional games in London, while countries like Mexico, Brazil, Switzerland, and Ireland are all being considered as potential hosts.

Given the 49ers’ history of playing international games, they could be selected to participate in one again in 2025. In 2022, the 49ers played in Mexico City, where they triumphed over the Arizona Cardinals as the designated road team. If the 49ers are chosen to play abroad in 2025, it will most likely be in a similar capacity, as the road team.

While the 49ers have previously been the home team in London, such as during their victories over the Denver Broncos in 2010 and the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2013, their relatively limited number of home games in 2025 means they would likely prefer to keep all eight of those games in Levi’s Stadium, rather than give one up for an international appearance.

Looking Ahead to 2025

Despite the bitter disappointment of their current season, the 49ers have every reason to remain optimistic about their prospects in 2025. With a favorable schedule, a strong core of talented players, and the opportunity to heal from the setbacks of 2024, San Francisco is in an excellent position to make a strong push for the playoffs next season. The coming year could very well be a defining moment for the 49ers as they look to recover, refocus, and return to their rightful place among the NFL’s elite teams.