And the crowd goes ... silent.
Levi's Stadium is about to sound a lot different than what you would expect for a season opener. This is especially true for a team coming off to a trip to the Super Bowl.
The 49ers were supposed to be greeted by wild fans Sunday in Santa Clara. They won the NFC West and made it all the way to the Super Bowl last season. The Faithful was supposed to be on their feet showing their love, but that won't happen.
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Due to COVID-19 restrictions, no fans will be allowed at Levi's Stadium as the 49ers host the Arizona Cardinals. This is how "crowd noise" will sound as a new season begins.
The game won't be fully silent. Fake crowd noise will be pumped throughout Levi's, but it will be much different than the real thing.
This isn't the only reason Sunday will feel eerie, too. The 49ers and Cardinals likely will be playing in unhealthy air condition because of wildfires throughout the Bay Area and entire state of California. Here's what the smoke looked like driving into the stadium and inside on Sunday morning.
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While the players are ready to go and certainly amped up, this won't feel like your typical season opener for more than one reason.