The San Francisco 49ers have officially landed Down Under, touching down in Melbourne, Australia, at 7:50 a.m. Friday local time. This wasn’t some quick hop, folks. They pulled off an absolutely massive 7,855-mile journey that took over 15 hours.
The Long Haul for the Niners
Imagine being stuck on a plane for that long! The 49ers made their epic trek on a Quantas A380, a beast of an aircraft featuring 14 first-class seats and 70 business-class seats. You gotta wonder how many of those first-class seats were filled by players trying to get some quality rest before game week. They’re not wasting any time, either. The Niners are set to hit the practice field in Melbourne on Saturday morning, kicking off their usual game-week routine by Monday. They face the Rams at Melbourne Cricket Ground at 10:35 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 11, Melbourne time, which translates to a late 8:35 p.m. ET kickoff on Thursday, Sept. 10, back in the U.S.
Rams Are Taking a Different Path
Here’s where it gets interesting: the Rams are straight up not following suit. They’re making a significantly shorter trip, planning to travel only on Wednesday. That means they’ll land in Melbourne less than 24 hours before kickoff. Talk about cutting it close! The 49ers are getting nearly a week to adjust to the time zone and get settled, while the Rams will be rolling off the plane and practically onto the field.
It’s going to be wild to see if that travel strategy pays off for the Rams or if the 49ers’ early arrival gives them a huge edge. Get ready for a unique overseas showdown next week.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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