TIME UPDATE: San Francisco 49ers vs. Chicago Bears Game Flexed — What Fans Need to Know

Dec 27, 2025

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Santa Clara, California – The NFL has officially flexed the Week 17 matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and Chicago Bears into the Sunday Night Football slot, moving the game to 8:20 p.m. ET on Sunday, December 28, 2025, at Levi’s Stadium. The move replaces a less compelling contest such as the originally scheduled Colts–Jets game, which lacked playoff urgency, and instead places a high-stakes NFC showdown under the league’s brightest lights — a clear signal that this matchup now carries postseason gravity.

For the 49ers, the flex is more than a scheduling adjustment — it’s a statement of resurgence. Riding a dominant five-game winning streak, San Francisco sits at 11–4, has already clinched a playoff spot, and is chasing the No. 1 seed in the NFC, trailing the Seahawks by just one game. Brock Purdy has been the engine of that surge, highlighted by a five-touchdown performance in Week 16 that reignited MVP whispers across the league. With Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle anchoring an explosive offense, the 49ers once again look like a team built not just to contend — but to control January.

Yet prime time has a way of sharpening narratives. For Purdy, this is another national stage where brilliance brings praise, but even the smallest stumble invites skepticism. Sunday night won’t just test San Francisco’s playoff positioning — it will test whether this version of the 49ers can deliver when the margin for error disappears under the brightest spotlight.

Meanwhile, the Bears arrive in Santa Clara carrying a storyline few predicted back in August. Also 11–4, Chicago has surged to the top of the NFC North under head coach Ben Johnson, transforming from rebuild to legitimate contender in a matter of months. Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams has fueled that rise with poise beyond his years, engineering multiple late-game comebacks — including an overtime thriller against the Packers — and giving the Bears a swagger that now travels comfortably into prime time.

This matchup is exactly the kind the NFL covets: a rising star challenging an established powerhouse, youth colliding with expectation. Williams’ dual-threat ability and Chicago’s improving defense make the Bears more than guests on Sunday night — they’re disruptors, capable of reshaping the NFC picture in a single statement win.

The NFL’s decision goes beyond ratings. This game sits at a pivotal junction in the conference race. A win for San Francisco could all but lock in a first-round bye, while a Bears victory would tighten the top of the NFC and confirm Chicago as a team no contender wants to see in January. With seeding, momentum, and perception all on the line, the stakes extend far beyond Week 17.

This will mark Chicago’s second prime-time appearance in three weeks, a rapid rise that mirrors their shift from underdog to headline act. No longer a feel-good story, the Bears are now being measured against franchises with championship expectations — and Sunday night offers the clearest benchmark yet.

Both teams understand what’s at stake. Prime time magnifies everything — pressure, scrutiny, and opportunity — and on Sunday night in Santa Clara, the NFC hierarchy could tilt in a way that echoes deep into the postseason.

49ers. Bears. Sunday Night Football. 8:20 p.m. ET.
In late December, games like this don’t just fill the schedule — they define legacies.

Broadcast: NBC
Local Radio (49ers): KSAN 107.7 FM / KNBR 104.5 FM / 680 AM