Niners Nation
The 49ers top cornerback has a specific game marked down on his calendar for next year.
The San Francisco 49ers have one of the easiest schedules in the NFL for the 2025 season, according to several metrics. They boast the easiest strength of schedule, as their opponents had a win percentage of 0.415 in 2024.
However, that doesn’t mean that they have a direct shot at the playoffs, as each of the last three teams who held that distinction missed the playoffs. There are still several games against tough opponents, including a competitive division schedule, where the 49ers went just 1-5 in 2024.
Last weekend, I pointed out the toughest games on the 49ers schedule for the 2025 season: Weeks 5 and 10 versus the Los Angeles Rams, Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks, Week 17 against the Chicago Bears, and Week 8 against the Houston Texans.
One of those games especially appeals to top cornerback Deommodore Lenoir, who has revenge on his mind in 2025.
“That Thursday night Rams game. That’s the one for me,” Lenoir said about the matchup he’s most looking forward to, via NBC Sports Bay Area’s Laura Britt.
“Really, it’s a division game. They’re like rivals, and they talk a lot. I feel like just for last year we owe them double.”
The 49ers lost both of their games to the Rams in 2024, marking their third straight regular-season defeat to Los Angeles (they lost in Week 18 in 2023 when sitting their starters).
Before that, San Francisco had won nine straight regular-season matchups in the series, and they’ll look to return to that success in 2025, starting off in Week 5 when they face the Rams in primetime on the road.
Lenoir has never been afraid to trash talk, constantly chirping during games and on social media, and noted that the back-and-forth with Rams players fuels him for games.
“I do [notice their trash talk],” Lenoir laughed. “It kind of fueled me during the week. I kind of let my DB room know what’s going on and how they feel about us and what we’re up against.”
Lenoir was the team’s 2025 Dwight Clark Legacy Award recipient, which was given to a player who exemplifies teamwork and camaraderie. He has quickly ascended to becoming a fan favorite, earning a five-year, $92 million extension last year to remain with the team long-term.
Los Angeles may very well be San Francisco’s toughest opponent in 2025, extending quarterback Matthew Stafford and signing Davante Adams to bolster their offense. Lenoir and Co. will have a challenge ahead of them come Week 5, and it seems they’re ready for that first primetime outing.
