2025 NFL strength of schedule: This is the team facing the easiest 17-game path this season
The NFL officially announced the full schedule for all 32 teams for the 2025 season, and one lucky team has got it easier than the others.
On Wednesday, the NFL released the full, 272-game, 18-week schedule for the 2025-26 season for all 32 teams. There is quite a lot of thought that goes into designing the schedule, and as it works out - it’s not at all equal when it comes to the strength of team’s schedule. They are based on where each team ranked in its division the year before, although that doesn’t always help either - as was the case for the New York Giants, who finished last in the NFC East (3-14) and happen to have the toughest schedule in the league this year anyway.
THE WEEK 1 SCHEDULE IS HERE 🚨 @FedEx pic.twitter.com/GQ6qelFO64
— NFL (@NFL) May 15, 2025
Which NFL team has the easiest schedule for the 2025-26 season?
On the other end of the spectrum, there’s one lucky team who has the easiest schedule in the NFL this year, and that would be the San Francisco 49ers. The Niners finished the 2024 season at 6-11 and last in the NFC West. This year, everything aligned perfectly to give them the NFL’s easiest schedule, both by 2024 opponents’ records as well as the 2025 projected wins of their opponents.
Saddle up, Faithful. It's go time.@Ticketmaster | #FTTB pic.twitter.com/p8naBCB8uA
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) May 15, 2025
Unlike the Giants, the Niners’ division is weak. They play six teams against their NFC West opponents - the Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, and Arizona Cardinals. All of those teams had sub .500 records in 2024, and the Rams were the only team to advance to the postseason.
They also play against the two weakest divisions from 2024 - AFC South (Jaguars, Colts, Texans, Titans) and NFC South (Saints, Bucs, Falcons, Panthers). Only one team from each of those divisions had a winning record in 2024 (Texans and Bucs). That gives the 49ers eight games against soft opponents.
Because the Niners finished last in their division, they benefit from one game vs a last-place team in the NFC (Panthers) and one vs last-place team in the AFC (Titans), plus one rotating 17th game against another last-place team.
This gives the Niners the opportunity to bounce back after a tough season last year, and potentially make a playoff run. This gives an example of how the NFL’s rotating schedule system can dramatically shift a team’s outlook from one year to the next.
San Francisco 49ers full 2025 schedule:
*All times listed in PT
Week 1 - at Seattle Seahawks, 1:25 p.m.
Week 2 - at New Orleans Saints, 10 a.m.
Week 3 - vs. Arizona Cardinals, 1:25 p.m.
Week 4 - vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, 1:25 p.m.
Week 5 - at Los Angeles Rams (Thursday Night Football) 5:20 p.m.
Week 6 - at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 10 a.m.
Week 7 - vs. Atlanta Falcons, 5:20 p.m. (Sunday Night Football)
Week 8 - at Houston Texans, 10 a.m.
Week 9 - at New York Giants, 10 a.m.
Week 10 - vs. Los Angeles Rams, 1:25 p.m.
Week 11 - at Arizona Cardinals, 1:25 p.m.
Week 12 - vs. Carolina Panthers 5:15 p.m. (Monday Night Football)
Week 13 - at Cleveland Browns, 10 a.m.
Week 14 - BYE
Week 15 - vs. Tennessee Titans, 1:25 p.m.
Week 16 - at Indianapolis Colts, 5:15 p.m. (Monday Night Football)
Week 17 - vs. Chicago Bears, 5:20 p.m. (Sunday Night Football)
Week 18 - vs. Seattle Seahawks, TBD
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