Brock Purdy recently led the San Francisco 49ers past the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card round. Now, he’ll have to guide the 49ers through the NFC Divisional Round against the Seattle Seahawks in a game where San Francisco faces a clear disadvantage: a short week and limited rest before traveling to Seattle.
“The 49ers will play the Seahawks on Saturday — meaning they have to travel on a short week against a rested team. Absolute. Hardest. Path. Possible,” David Lombardi wrote about the upcoming matchup, one of the first to point out the scheduling disadvantage facing San Francisco.
As the No. 1 seed, the Seahawks have been resting for an extended period. The NFL’s scheduling announcement sparked backlash from fans, though it’s worth noting that a similar concern existed ahead of the 49ers’ Wild Card win over Philadelphia. “The Niners just came off a brutal, physical game—and now they’re flying cross-country. That matters,” SportsRadio 94WIP said before that Eagles matchup.
Reaction from 49ers fans
The frustration from fans has been vocal and pointed. Many argue that other teams are benefiting from additional rest, and that the NFL should prioritize player safety by avoiding short-week turnarounds during the postseason.
“Why on Earth are the 49ers and Seahawks playing Saturday when Bears/Rams both played yesterday? It would make all the sense in the world to have Rams–Bears on Saturday so they’re on a full week of rest instead of extra rest, while the 49ers get screwed with six days of rest,” Ryan Ayscue wrote on X (@RyanAyscue1).
“It’s funny that the NFL says they care about player safety. You flexed 49ers–Seahawks to Saturday night in Week 18, causing short rest. Then after a Wild Card game and a trip to the East Coast, you put the 49ers on Saturday night. Sure you care,” David Vu (@nascar246788) added on X.
