49ers News: Schedule release day is here

Q: What is the schedule for the San Francisco 49ers 2026 season?

The San Francisco 49ers' schedule for the 2026 season has been released, detailing all their matchups and key dates.

Q: Who will the 49ers play in their international game in Mexico City?

The 49ers will face the Minnesota Vikings in their second international game in Mexico City during Week 11.

Q: What challenges do the 49ers face playing in Mexico City?

The 49ers will practice at a high elevation to prepare for the 7,200-foot altitude of Mexico City, which poses a challenge for player endurance.

Q: What did Donte Whitner say about Ji’Ayir Brown's performance?

Donte Whitner criticized Ji’Ayir Brown for his self-evaluation, stating that Brown's belief he played well last season is delusional.

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 09: Christian McCaffrey #23 of the San Francisco 49ers runs against Quentin Lake #37 of the Los Angeles Rams in the second quarter of a game at Levi's Stadium on November 09, 2025 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images **Jordan James, Romello Height and 8 other young 49ers poised to break out in 2026 (paywall)** **“**Is the fifth-round pick a middle, weakside or strongside linebacker? The answer to that question: Yup. The uniquely sized Dugger — 6 feet 5, 242 pounds with 35-inch arms — was a middle linebacker at Louisiana, but he appears to have the skills to line up at any of the three spots. Dugger’s level of competition at Georgetown (yes, the Hoyas have a football team) and Louisiana might make for a slow transition to the NFL. And the 49ers might be eying him mainly as a coverage ace on special teams this season. Still, his new linebackers coach, K.J. Wright, was an enthusiastic advocate during the draft process, and Dugger seems custom-made for the strongside role that was problematic last season when opponents, especially the Los Angeles Rams, attacked the 49ers with tight-end-heavy sets.” “The 49ers are likely to spend the week practicing at a high elevation to better adjust to the 7,200-foot altitude of Mexico City.” “Ji’Ayir f–king Brown calling me on the phone, trying to check me, telling me I can’t talk bad about him when he has a bad play,” Whitner said on his podcast, *The Grit Code*. “He called me and on the phone, that he used to respect us and that we’re not keeping it G because we told the truth about his deficiencies. “Ain’t that some bulls–t? You f–king know that you played like s–t last year.” Whitner went on to ask Brown for an honest assessment of his own play. The response only reinforced Whitner’s opinion. “I said, ‘Ji’Ayir, honestly, do you feel like you played like a top safety last year?'” Whitner commented. “He said, ‘Yeah.’ I said, ‘So, you felt like you should have made the Pro Bowl last year?’ He was like, ‘Yeah.’ In that moment, I knew that the kid was just f–king delusional.” “Now, if you’ve got a valid point, I’m willing to listen to it,” Whitner said. “But if you play like s–t, and I analyze it, I’m gonna continue to analyze it that way.” “You have to get better in the deep half, in the middle of the field. You have to get better at pre-snap communication and reading formations. In Cover 2, you have to read your No. 1s. You have to keep a proximity of 15 yards deep, 2 yards inside the inside shoulder of the No. 1 wide receiver [and] you have to keep pace and pedal with urgency. “You have to have knee bend [and] you have to read out of your peripheral vision what the quarterback is doing; you have to be ready to break efficiently at certain angles. That makes you a professional. That makes you an expert at your position.” That’s just coachspeak. Nothing really specific. He’s just telling Brown where and how to line up and where his eyes/keys are. That’s why most of this feels empty. Whitner wants Brown to improve, but isn’t highlighting anything from the 2025 season. Instead, it’s empty platitudes that don’t help the player.