The kickoff for the highly anticipated NFC Divisional Round clash between the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks has been delayed slightly, with the game now set to begin at 8:20 p.m. ET instead of the originally scheduled 8 p.m. start.
The reason? Overtime drama in the earlier matchup between the Denver Broncos and Buffalo Bills. That game stretched past its scheduled window, and rather than have two playoff games overlapping-a scenario that would split viewers and force fans to miss the opening moments of 49ers-Seahawks-the league made the call to push things back by 20 minutes.
It’s a smart move, especially given the stakes. This isn’t just any divisional matchup-it’s a showdown between two bitter NFC West rivals with playoff history and plenty of bad blood.
Fans deserve to catch every snap, and networks certainly want to maximize viewership. So, with the Broncos and Bills refusing to wrap things up on time, the NFL adjusted on the fly.
Once things get underway at 8:20 p.m. ET on FOX, expect fireworks.
The 49ers have been one of the most complete teams in football all season, but the Seahawks know them well and won’t go quietly. A little extra wait only adds to the tension-and this is playoff football, after all.