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The full NFL schedule won’t be released until 5 p.m. Wednesday, but there have already been some leaked details.
According to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco, the 49ers will open their 2019 season at Tampa Bay on Sept. 8. The 49ers will play another road game, against an unannounced team, in Week 2, then return to welcome the Pittsburgh Steelers for the home opener on Sept. 22.
This is the second straight year the 49ers will spend Week 1 on opposing turf. Last year, they lost, 24-16, at Minnesota.
This is also the second straight season San Francisco will play at Tampa Bay. Last year, the 49ers lost to the Bucs, 27-9, but Reuben Foster’s pregame release — stemming from an alleged domestic violence arrest — overshadowed the result. The upcoming game will mark a homecoming for newly acquired linebacker Kwon Alexander, who spent his first four NFL seasons with the Bucs. Alexander signed a four-year, $54-million contract with the 49ers in February. He is expected to be ready for Week 1 as he continues to recover from an ACL tear.
The 49ers have not played the Steelers since the 2015 season. The teams have not squared off in the Bay Area since 2011. This has the potential for a Sunday Night Football matchup, considering the histories of these organizations, along with the inter-conference aspect.