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San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan reacts during the first half of an NFL game against the Seattle Seahawks, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Seattle. (John Froschauer/AP)
It seems that 49ers fans have chased the Rams out of Los Angeles and into Australia.
San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan appeared alongside Packers coach Matt LaFleur on "PFT Live," which was filming on location at the NFL's annual owners meeting in Phoenix, when the topic of the Niners' Week 1 game in Melbourne came up. Shanahan, who isn't exactly pleased his team's season opener is a whole ocean away, revealed that the only reason the 49ers are playing this game internationally is because the Rams asked for it.
"I'm pretty sure the Rams lobbied for that game," LaFleur quipped during the live show.
"I know for a fact they did. That's what's so bothersome," Shanahan replied.
Co-host and ex-NFL quarterback Chris Simms eventually got Shanahan, his former college teammate at Texas, to confirm that the reason for LA's lobbying was because Niners fans have taken over games at SoFi Stadiumtime and time again. While technically on neutral ground, this Week 1 matchup is slated as a Rams home game. For what it's worth, Shanahan was sympathetic to the plight of his division rival.
"And I get that," Shanahan said, referencing the takeovers. "That would suck to have to do silent cadence and to have our home game at their stadium. So I get their ambitions, but they were rewarded that. So I'm just hoping we can get our request too."
That "request" was that in exchange for making the Niners travel to Australia for a game, the Rams have to travel down to Mexico City for another one; that way, both teams have to travel internationally twice this season. As things stand, the Niners are stuck with two international games and will likely have traveled the most miles this season by a wide margin.
"Hopefully the league will do right and let us play the Rams in Mexico. Since we got to go out of the country twice, and they requested us, I'm requesting them in Mexico," Shanahan said. "Not that that gives us an advantage, it's just fair to make them go out of the country twice."
Of course, Shanahan later acknowledged that there'd be some advantage since he shouted out the "awesome" Mexican fan base the Niners have.
There's still time for the league to take Shanahan's request seriously, but the outlook isn't super promising. The current rumor is that 49ers will take on the Dolphins in Mexico City. What is confirmed, however, is that the game will be a Week 11 matchup.
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This article originally published at Kyle Shanahan says it's a 'fact' Rams lobbied NFL to send 49ers to Australia.
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