NFL unveils Week 18 schedule, 49ers-Cardinals kickoff time

The 49ers’ final game of the 2024-25 season will kick off at a familiar time.

Their road matchup with the Arizona Cardinals is set to begin at 1:25 p.m. Pacific Time on Sunday, Jan. 5, their ninth afternoon kick of the season. The game will air on Fox, KTVU Ch. 2 in the Bay Area.

The NFL unveiled its schedule for Week 18 on Sunday night after the Commanders beat the Falcons on Sunday Night Football, clinching a playoff spot. Two games — all between AFC North teams — will be played on Saturday, and the remaining 14 games will be Sunday.

The 49ers and Cardinals won’t be playing with those sort of stakes as both teams were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention last week. Arizona won the first meeting between the teams this season, upsetting the Niners 24-23 in an early-October comeback, San Francisco’s second blown lead to a divisional opponent in 15 days.

The Niners last played the Cardinals in a season finale in January 2023, when they beat Arizona 38-13 at home. They last closed a season in Arizona in 2020, when they relocated to State Farm Stadium for their final home games due to Santa Clara County COVID restrictions. That was a 26-23 loss to Seattle in a fourth-quarter collapse with C.J. Beathard at quarterback.

Below is the NFL’s full schedule for Week 18 (all times Pacific):

SATURDAY, JAN. 4

1:30 p.m.

Browns at Ravens (ESPN)

5 p.m.

Bengals at Steelers (ESPN)

SUNDAY, JAN. 5

10 a.m.

Commanders at Cowboys (Fox)

Bears at Packers (Fox)

Jaguars at Colts (Fox)

Saints at Buccaneers (Fox)

Panthers at Falcons (CBS)

Bills at Patriots (CBS)

Giants at Eagles (CBS)

Texans at Titans (CBS)

1:25 p.m.

49ERS at Cardinals (Fox)

Seahawks at Rams (Fox)

Dolphins at Jets (Fox)

Chiefs at Broncos (CBS)

Chargers at Raiders (CBS)

5:20 p.m.

Vikings at Lions (NBC)