The NFL moved the 49ers-Buccaneers game to prime time, prioritizing top teams over struggling ones.

The NFL has flexed the Week 6 game between the San Francisco 49ers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers into the 4:25 p.m. ET national window on CBS, moving it from 1 p.m., while the New England Patriots’ game against the New Orleans Saints was shifted to 1 p.m. The change, the first of the 2025 season, prioritizes the 49ers and Buccaneers—both 3-1 and leading their divisions—over the Patriots (2-2) and Saints (0-4), who have struggled with a poor point differential. The decision reflects the league’s flex scheduling policy to boost viewership with more competitive matchups.