The San Francisco 49ers wrap up their 2017 preseason schedule on Thursday when they face the Los Angeles Chargers. The game kicks off at 7 p.m. PT, and will broadcast almost exclusively in California (with some Nevada and Oregon as well). It will not be broadcast on national TV, so you’ll either need to get a free trial of NFL Gamepass, or figure out alternative arrangements.
If you are desperate to watch the game, NFL Network will be offering two re-broadcasts. The first will be Thursday night at 11 p.m. PT, and the second will be Saturday at 9 p.m. PT.
This fourth preseason game is usually the worst of the year. The first game features limited starter time, but it’s our first look at real football, so we put up with it. The last game features as few starters as possible, with teams looking to just get through the game. It’s fun seeing some of the end of the roster players show their stuff, but overall, I view it as the least interesting preseason game.
All of this is to say, if you can’t watch the game on Thursday, why would anybody actually want to watch it on Saturday? If you missed the game, I get watching the version right after. But with roster cuts set for 1 p.m. on Saturday, is it really worth watching a game eight hours later when a sizable chunk of the players you’re watching are no longer on the team?
I am not going to judge anybody by any means for watching this game on Saturday, but I would love to know why.