iStockphoto / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Rams CB Jaylen Watson and 49ers WR Mike Evans over a map of Australia
The Rams and the 49ers took decidedly different approaches when it came to how they handled their trip to Australia for a game where San Francisco cruised to a 27-7 victory. Los Angeles declined to spend more time than necessary in the Land Down Under, and Mike Evans was shocked to discover that was the case while suggesting it played a role in the outcome.
It’s been a little more than 20 years since two NFL teams competed in a regular season game outside of the United States for the first time, a milestone that occurred when the Cardinals faced off against the 49ers in Mexico City in 2005.
The league has gotten increasingly ambitious with those international showcases since then. It’s returned to Mexico and headed down to Brazil on multiple occasions, although it has primarily attempted to expand its footprint in the five European countries that have either hosted a game or are scheduled to do so.
It expanded its horizons in a big way for the start of the 2026 season, as the 49ers and the Rams became the first teams to face off in Australia when the Melbourne Cricket Ground served as the site of their showdown on Thursday night (which was actually Friday morning in the city where it was played).
San Francisco had no trouble securing the win, and Mike Evans was one of many people who wondered if the opposing squad ended up regretting its travel strategy based on how things ended up panning out.
Mike Evans couldn’t believe the 49ers decided to fly into Australia a little over a day before their game
Anyone who’s crossed multiple time zones on an airplane is aware that journey has the potential to throw your body’s natural rhythm out of whack to the point where many experienced travelers budget days devoted exclusively to resting so they’ll be able to adjust.
The 49ers weren’t taking any chances, as the team gave itself a week to adjust by arriving in Melbourne on September 4th after enduring a 15-hour flight that transported them to a land with a 17-hour time difference.
The Rams, on the other hand, opted for an approach that was reportedly the result of two years of preparation. The team chartered an Airbus A380 filled with enough laydown beds to accommodate every single person on board, the people who took the trip had just 25 hours to prepare (and get some sleep) before the showdown.
That came as quite a surprise to 49ers wide receiver Mike Evans, who seemed genuinely stunned to learn that was the route to take while noting, “You’ve gotta give your body time to adjust.”
After the Niners beat the Rams by 20, Mike Evans had to ask… 😂 pic.twitter.com/oA6jVwxsle
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) September 11, 2026
It’s worth noting Sean McVay downplayed the impact it had, saying:
“I don’t believe that’s why we didn’t play well enough. I really don’t. I’m more than comfortable with that.
I’ll always make decisions that I think are best for the football team. It’s easy in hindsight to be able to say it was it was a miss. But those are responsibilities that I’ll take and then you try to be able to look at it. I’ll always look at myself inside out and figure out where I can improve.”
There’s no telling if things would have played out differently if the Rams had taken a page out of their opponent’s playbook, but I have a feeling most NFL teams will follow in the footsteps of the team that got the W if they have to go to Australia.