49ers Prepare for NFL's Longest Road Trip to Open Season
San Francisco heads to Melbourne, Australia, for an 8,000-mile journey to face the Rams in the season opener.
The San Francisco 49ers are set to depart the Bay Area late Wednesday night for Melbourne, Australia, embarking on the longest road trip in NFL history ahead of their season opener against the Los Angeles Rams on September 11.
The roughly 8,000-mile flight will take about 16 hours and cross the international dateline, turning a Wednesday departure into a Friday arrival. Players received detailed instructions on eating, hydration and sleep timing to manage the trip.
Defensive lineman Keion White, who has previously played games in Germany and London, said he plans to take large doses of melatonin to sleep through the flight and then explore Melbourne on public transportation once he arrives, to help reset his body clock quickly.
Coach Kyle Shanahan said the team consulted scientific advice on managing the time change. The 49ers will arrive Friday morning, hold a light practice Saturday, rest Sunday, then have three normal practice days before the Friday morning game. They plan to fly home immediately after, landing back in the Bay Area that afternoon, before preparing for a Week 2 matchup against Miami on September 20.
The Rams, by contrast, plan to stay mostly at home, arriving in Australia only about 24 hours before kickoff in hopes of avoiding jet lag altogether.
The trip created a logistical scramble for San Francisco's front office, which had to finalize roster cuts, build a practice squad and secure passports and visas for players on tight notice. General manager John Lynch praised the team's staff for handling the "monumental task," noting one player's parents had to overnight his passport and offensive lineman Jarrett Patterson, acquired in a trade just days earlier, had to scramble to get travel documents in order.
Despite the challenges, players say they're embracing the experience. Cornerback Deommodore Lenoir said he'd travel 30 hours if needed to play an NFL game, and rookie De'Zhaun Stribling said he hopes to see a kangaroo before making his NFL debut.
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