The 49ers are likely to get the max of five primetime games in 2023, so let's go ahead and predict which ones they'll be this season.
We're still a few days away from actually knowing the San Francisco 49ers schedule for the upcoming 2023 season.
From the latest reports, it's looking as if Thursday, May 11 will wind up being the official reveal date. Until then, there'll be rumors and speculation to hold fans over before they can officially start planning their calendars for the upcoming fall.
However, we do know which opponents the Niners will face this season, and you can get an idea of the full list here. San Francisco will have its obligatory NFC West games while also facing off against the NFC East and AFC North. On top of that, the 49ers will be on the road for the 17th game of the season and will have two other at-large games on a first-place schedule after winning the division last year.
While it's not official, the Niners are likely to have the maximum number of five primetime games, too, given they've been in the NFC Championship game in each of the last two years and are a heavy favorite to be there again in 2023.
So, if we were to predict which primetime games San Francisco would get, what would they be?
Let's take a look.
Primetime game No. 5: 49ers @ Seahawks
The rivalry between the 49ers and Seattle Seahawks might not be as heated as it was in the early 2010s, but it's still pretty juicy. Especially with virtually everyone in the NFL writing off the Hawks before last season, only to see them surprisingly make it into the playoffs, only then to be eliminated by the Niners.
OK, so the rivalry isn't quite what it used to be. But it's good enough for primetime television, especially if it winds up being another Thursday Night Football game at Lumen Field in Seattle where it was last season (San Francisco won that game 21-13).
The 49ers and Seahawks might no longer make for must-watch television as it did back a decade ago, so we can probably rule out Sunday night or Monday night.
But that TNF showdown sounds about right.
Primetime game No. 4: Giants @ 49ers
Admittedly, this is a bit of a stretch. And we have to get into the minds of the NFL schedule makers when considering the Niners hosting the New York Giants and why that'd be such a desirable primetime game.
A few things here, though. First, head coach Brian Daboll has certainly turned the G-Men around, and they've resumed being a watchable franchise. Provided that trajectory continues, New York could potentially threaten a team like San Francisco for a playoff berth.
On top of that, the schedule makers have to figure out a way to get all those East Coast fans to buy into a primetime game on the West Coast, and there are few better ways of doing so than by looping in an NFC East team.
Three of the four within that particular division would do.
Speaking of another NFC East team...
Primetime game No. 3: Cowboys @ 49ers
The Dallas Cowboys sure have to be pissed off at the 49ers after being eliminated by their longtime rivals in back-to-back postseasons.
Heck, perhaps it's vengeance from the Niners after Dallas eliminated San Francisco a bunch in the playoffs, first back in the early 1970s and then again in the early 1990s.
Either way, the 49ers and Cowboys make for good television again, and that's ultimately what will help determine a worthy primetime matchup, likely one on Sunday Night Football down the stretch when both teams are jockeying for playoff positioning.
Read More: Top 10 biggest moments in 49ers vs. Cowboys rivalry
Dallas is also a hot contender for a conference championship, too, so the game will almost assuredly carry more implications than just a grudge match.
Primetime game No. 2: 49ers @ Rams
The Los Angeles Rams' fall from grace after winning a Super Bowl two seasons ago in the wake of knocking off the Niners in the NFC Championship game just beforehand has to be satisfying for San Francisco fans.
And it'd probably be just as satisfying watching a sea of red take over SoFI Stadium in Southern California under the bright lights of a Monday Night Football game.
Granted, few are predicting LA to be much of a good team this season, and it's likely the 49ers will go back to their seemingly yearly tradition of sweeping their NFC West rivals during the regular season. Yet the NFL schedule makers are still trying to drive home the notion that the Rams are a high point of Los Angeles, and this market should command as much attention as that of New York or even Chicago.
Read More: 49ers schedule 2023: Everything you need to know
Even West Coast fans know that LA doesn't care as much about the Rams as it does the Lakers or even USC football.
Still, this NFC West bout will be in primetime anyway.
Primetime game No. 1: 49ers @ Eagles
Ah, yes. The game we should have been able to watch last January but ultimately weren't able to because quarterback Brock Purdy suffered a torn UCL early.
The NFC Championship game between the Niners and Philadelphia Eagles last season should have been epic. And for a few fleeting moments prior to Purdy's injury, it seemed as if it would be.
San Francisco ultimately lost, of course, suffering injuries not only to Purdy but to backup quarterback Josh Johnson, which all but ensured Philly would advance to the Super Bowl. But considering both the 49ers and Eagles are locked in as the top two contenders for the NFC title this season, why not put this grudge match at Lincoln Financial Field back on the docket of primetime games?
The only question is whether or not this should be Sunday Night Football or Monday Night Football. On top of that, would fans want to see this early in the season or late in the year when seeding matters a ton?
Either way, this rematch needs to be in front of a national audience.