Shanahan not thrilled about Australia opener
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan made it clear on Monday that he is not at all overreacting to the NFL’s decision to start the 2026 season in Australia.
Speaking at the league owners meeting in Phoenix, Shanahan was asked about the historic matchup against the division rival Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne on September 10.
“I don’t see any professionals,” he told reporters.
Now, to be clear, he’s coming at this from a coach’s perspective. And football players and coaches alike have often expressed approval for the exclusivity of international games and the opportunity they give them to experience new things, while also stating very clearly that it is not good in terms of the quality of the game. Or for the team moving forward.
Shanahan echoed those widespread sentiments. He acknowledged that the game is “good for the league to play globally” and “wonderful” for international fans to get a taste of NFL action. Nevertheless, he still does not see any positive benefits for his team.
He said, “But as far as the team is concerned in doing this, there is no special benefit in it.” “Sometimes it’s nice to have a bye after a week, but not in the first week.”
Highlights from Kyle Shanahan’s press conference today:
• Kyle feels good about where the roster is. Says it’s definitely been a better offseason than last year
• He is not a fan of the 49ers playing in Australia
• They’re in no rush to release Brandon Aiyuk. Keep hope… pic.twitter.com/Eg659RocVN
– Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) 30 March 2026
Yeah, they’re not giving bye week after week. MLB usually gives its opening day game participants a short break after playing the first game of the season. But taking a day off in a 162-game schedule is a lot different than what the NFL would have to do if it gave a Week 2 bye.
The 49ers will face a grueling 14-hour flight and significant time-zone juggling for a 10:35 a.m. local kick-off in Melbourne.
Needless to say, Americans forget such early games. I don’t know how many times I’ve heard friends ask, ‘Was there any play today?’ After one regular season game in the UK.
Read more:
Shanahan’s sarcasm during a discussion of travel logistics for the game immediately hit the charts.
“Oh, very excited. So, are we going back in time or into the future? I guess we gain a day or lose a day? Not sure yet which, but it is what it is,” he joked before noting very seriously, “We’ll deal with it.”
This is something they will have to deal with if they want to maintain some momentum from last season.
The 49ers posted a solid 12–5 record last season and finished third in the stacked NFC West. After missing the playoffs the previous year, they returned to the postseason and earned a wild card win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
But their run ended with a lopsided loss in the divisional round to the eventual Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.
Heading into 2026, expectations remain high for Shanahan’s team as they look to build on last year’s resiliency, stay healthy, and take advantage of key stars like Brock Purdy, running back Christian McCaffrey and Nick Bosa, as well as key additions like veteran wide receiver Mike Evans.
Will they get the year off to the right start with a win in Australia?
#49ers #coach #Kyle #Shanahan #isnt #thrilled #playing #Australia #dude
