Kyle Shanahan might be down under getting ready for Week 1 against the Rams, but let’s be real, his mind is still on SoFi Stadium. Seriously, the San Francisco 49ers head coach initially made no secret of his displeasure about playing in Australia. And even after landing and spending a couple of days there, Shanahan is still talking about what his team lost: that sweet, sweet advantage of essentially an extra home game in Los Angeles.
The L.A. Takeover That’s Now Gone Down Under
Shanahan was pretty clear about his beef. “When I said that, that was nothing against Australia or anything,” he said on Sunday. “That’s just about competition and how important our 17 games are. It’s cool for us, just we always have an advantage of having one, I see it as one home game a year in L.A. Just the way our fans are and take over that stadium.” You know it’s true, 49ers fans absolutely flood SoFi, often forcing the Rams into silent counts in their own building. That’s a real advantage, an extra game where the crowd noise is on *your* side. This season, the 49ers only have eight home games and nine road contests, with the Australia game counting as a road one. No extra trip to SoFi for the Rams game this year. That stings, doesn’t it? “It was disappointing to let them off the hook and get them out of that,” Shanahan admitted. You can practically hear the frustration.
Week 1 Down Under, But the Fans Are Still Rolling
Despite his initial displeasure, Shanahan is trying to make the best of it. After a couple of days adjusting to Australia, he conceded, “this is the right time to be here, it’s the right place to be, and it’s the right team to go against.” He’s banking on the traveling faithful to bring the noise even across the globe, expecting “a good showing” from the 49ers fanbase. Week 1 is definitely the ideal time for an international game because teams get to prepare beforehand, avoiding those mid-season adjustments on the fly. And the Rams are doing things differently, prepping like it’s an in-season trip. Shanahan, however, is glad his squad stuck to their own plan after getting a few days to get settled. “I’m glad that we’ve been out here because we feel real good today,” he said, noting the difference for a coach’s mind versus a player’s body in adjusting.
So, get ready for some early morning (or late night, depending on your vibe) football. San Francisco and Los Angeles kick off Friday morning local time in Australia, airing on Netflix at 5:35 p.m. Pacific time on Thursday evening. It’s Week 1, a division rivalry, and the season starts with a statement game, no matter what continent it’s on.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Niners Nation.
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