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For the first time in league history, the NFL will hold a game in Australia when the San Francisco 49ers open their season in Melbourne against the NFC West rival Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 10.
However, while Australian fans are plenty excited about the game, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is significantly less enthused.
Shanahan was quick to voice his displeasure when asked about his team playing on the other side of the world, especially regarding the 10:30 a.m. local kickoff time in order for the game to be televised in primetime in the United States.
Kyle Shanahan Drags The NFL Over San Francisco 49ers Game In Australia
“That was our goal, to go 19 hours away,” Shanahan said sarcastically at the NFL’s annual meetings. “We’re going back in time or into the future. We either gain a day or lose a day, I can’t remember which.
“It is what it is. We’ll deal with it.”
Asked whether he saw any positives at all to his team beginning the season on the other side of the globe, Shanahan struggled to come up with an answer.
“No, not at all,” Shanahan said. “It’s cool for the league. As far as a team doing it, no, there’s not much benefit to it. Sometimes it’s nice to get a bye week after, but this is Week 1.”
The issue is magnified by the fact that the Niners were one of the most injured teams in the league in 2025. While conspiracy theorists are happy to put that down to the fact that the team practices next to an electromagnetic substation, it’s hard to imagine that playing at 10:30 a.m. across the world will help matters.
Meanwhile, Rams coach Sean McVay has been largely quiet on the matter.
Six Australians currently occupy NFL roster spots. Five of whom are punters, with the other being Philadelphia Eagles left tackle Jordan Mailata. None of the six players currently play for the 49ers or Rams.