Eagles-49ers: Start time, channel, how to watch and stream ‘Sunday Night Football’
After a week off, longtime ‘Sunday Night Football’ announcer Al Michaels returns to the booth
Philadelphia Eagles (0-2-1) at San Francisco 49ers (2-1)
NFL Week 4
Date: Sunday, Oct. 4
Kickoff: 8:20 p.m. Eastern
Location: Levi’s Stadium, San Francisco, Calif.
TV: NBC
The Eagles will face the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday Night Football looking for their first win, but injuries will force the Birds to dig deep on their depth chart
Wide receivers DeSean Jackson and Alshon Jeffery have been ruled out of Sunday’s game, while JJ Arcega-Whiteside is doubtful with a calf injury. Carson Wentz will also be without tight end Dallas Goedert, who was placed on injured reserve earlier this week after suffering a fracture in his left ankle last weekend against the Cincinnati Bengals.
NBC also dug into their depth chart last week, giving longtime play-by-play announcer Al Michaels the night off in favor of Mike Tirico. Michaels will be back in the booth tonight alongside Cris Collinsworth to call the Eagles game, but NBC plans to give him at least a couple more “bye weeks” this season in an attempt to cut down on travel, with his next break coming on Thanksgiving.
While ceding a few games to your ultimate replacement might be awkward to some, the 75-year-old announcer has said he’s on board with NBC’s plan this season.
“Mike Tirico is terrific at everything he does and has been for years. Football, basketball, golf, horse racing, auto racing, hosting, you name it. He’s a great asset to our company and a great friend,” Michaels told The Inquirer. “The only advice he’d need from me is restaurant recommendations.”
Like every other sports announcer, Michaels has had to adjust to calling games with no fans in the stands, which he said “borders on ghostly.” So far, Michaels said he tries to think of himself as “a horse with blinkers on,” focusing less on the empty stands and eerie vibe of the stadium and concentrating instead on the field and the action.
“I can only hope this ends sooner than later,” Michaels said. “Virtual crowd noise is better than nothing but not even close to the energy you’d feel in normal circumstances.”
Here’s everything you need to know to watch or stream the Eagles' Week 4 matchup against the 49ers:
What time is kickoff for Sunday’s Eagles-49ers game?
Eagles-49ers is scheduled to kick off at 8:20 p.m. on NBC10 in Philadelphia. It’s one of four primetime games the Eagles are scheduled to play this season.
Cable subscribers can also stream the game on the NBC Sports app. In-market fans without a cable subscription can stream it for free on the Yahoo! Sports app, the Eagles app, and on PhiladelphiaEagles.com.
The game will also be available on a host of skinny bundles, including fuboTV, which is offering a free seven-day trial. Fox is also available on YouTubeTV, Hulu + Live TV, and AT&T Now.
Who are the announcers for Eagles-49ers?
TV: Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya (NBC10)
Radio: Merrill Reese, Mike Quick, Howard Eskin (94.1 WIP)
Spanish radio: Rickie Ricardo, William Kulich (La Mega 105.7 FM)
Pregame shows and other Eagles media coverage
As with every Eagles game, staff writers Jeff McLane, Les Bowen, Paul Domowitch, and EJ Smith will be covering all the action live on Twitter. Notes and observations about the game will be at Inquirer.com/eagles. Don’t forget to subscribe to our Early Birds newsletter.
In the latest episode of Birds Eye View, McLane, Bowen, and Smith break down the Eagles-49ers matchup, starting with the Eagles' wide receiver corps.
Coverage on NBC begins at 6 p.m. with NBC10 News: Sunday Night Special, hosted by John Clark. Football Night in America airs 7 p.m., hosted by Mike Tirico and featuring co-host Liam McHugh, NFL Insider Mike Florio, and analysts Tony Dungy, Rodney Harrison, and Chris Simms.
Over on NBC Sports Philadelphia, Eagles Pregame Live, hosted by Michael Barkann and featuring Seth Joyner, Ray Didinger and Barrett Brooks, will air live at 6:30 p.m. Eagles Postgame Live will air immediately after the game, followed by Birds Outsiders, which this year will be hosted by Roy Burton and 94.1 WIP host Joe Giglio.
As far as other local network pregame shows go, CBS3 will air CBS3 Sunday Kickoff at 11:30 a.m. (featuring Don Bell and Pat Gallen). NBC10 will air Eagles Gameday Kickoff at 9:30 a.m. (hosted by Danny Pommells), followed by Eagles GamePlan at 10 a.m. (featuring John Clark, Ike Reese, and Mike Quick). FOX29 will air Fox 29 Gameday Live (featuring Bill Anderson, Garry Cobb, Kristen Rodgers, and Howard Eskin).
Other NFL games airing in Philadelphia on Sunday
Philadelphia, like most of the country, was scheduled to broadcast Patriots-Chiefs at 4:25 p.m., with Tony Romo and Jim Nantz on the call. But that game has been postponed until Monday or Tuesday by the NFL after players from both teams — including Patriots quarterback Cam Newton — tested positive for COVID-19.
Here are the NFL games that will air in the Philadelphia market Sunday afternoon:
Ravens (2-1) at Washington (1-2): 1 p.m., CBS3 (Andrew Catalon, James Lofton, AJ Ross)
Cowboys (1-2) at Browns (2-1): 1 p.m., Fox29 (Kevin Burkhardt, Daryl Johnston, Pam Oliver)
Bills (3-0) at Raiders (2-1): 4:25 p.m., CBS3 (Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta)
Eagles stories and columns worth reading before Sunday’s game
Eagles vs. 49ers: Predictions for Week 4 game in San Francisco
Joe Banner calls Eagles' 0-2-1 start ‘a breakdown at all levels’
Is backup Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts the root of Carson Wentz’s early-season struggles?
Eagles' long neglect of the linebacker position has come home to roost
Can Doug Pederson figure out the Eagles' offensive identity with so many starters injured?
Eagles 2020 NFL schedule
Week 1, Sept. 13: Washington 27, Eagles 17
Week 2, Sept. 20: Rams 37, Eagles 19
Week 3, Sept. 27: Bengals 23, Eagles 23
Week 4, Oct. 4: Eagles at 49ers, 8:20 p.m., NBC
Week 5, Oct. 11: Eagles at Steelers, 1 p.m., Fox
Week 6, Oct. 18: Ravens at Eagles, 1 p.m., CBS
Week 7, Oct. 22: Giants at Eagles, 8:20 p.m., Fox
Week 8, Nov. 1: Cowboys at Eagles, 8:20 p.m., NBC
Week 9, Nov. 8: Bye
Week 10, Nov. 15: Eagles at Giants, 1 p.m., Fox
Week 11, Nov. 22: Eagles at Browns, 1 p.m., Fox
Week 12, Nov. 30: Seahawks at Eagles, 8:15 p.m., ESPN
Week 13, Dec. 6: Eagles at Packers, 4:25 p.m., CBS
Week 14, Dec. 13: Saints at Eagles, 4:25 p.m., Fox
Week 15, Dec. 20: Eagles at Cardinals, 4:05 p.m, Fox
Week 16, Dec. 27: Eagles at Cowboys, 4:25 p.m., Fox
Week 17, Jan. 3: Washington at Eagles, 1 p.m. Fox