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NFL commissioner Roger Goodell dismissed concerns San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan had about playing in Australia in Week 1.
The 49ers are playing their first game of the 2026 season in Melbourne, Australia, against the Los Angeles Rams, and Shanahan told reporters during the league’s owners meetings last month that he didn’t see any benefit to it.
Shanahan jokingly said his goal was to play a game 19 or 20 hours away to start the season.
Goodell said he will send Shanahan an app that will help with jet lag.
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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after the Super Bowl between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on February 8, 2026. (Simon Bruty/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
“You know I have an app for him, which I’m going to send him because my wife hooked me up with an app. And I have to tell you, I feel great. I haven’t felt any jet lag at all. I thought it was a relatively easy trip,” Goodell told reporters in Australia on Friday.
Goodell called Shanahan an enthusiastic coach and mentioned that coaches’ priorities lie solely in winning football games. He said the NFL is focused on making it a great experience for everyone.
“Coaches focus on winning, that’s their number one job. So Coach Shanahan is enthusiastic and a great football coach, but also someone who really understands the importance of expanding our game globally. But his job is to win, his job is to play, and I always like to say that coaches like to play 1 and 4 and not get in the way of that,” Goodell said.
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San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan watches from the sideline during the second half against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Tampa, Florida, on Oct. 12, 2025. (Chris O’Meara/AP)
“We’re going to make it a great experience for the team. That’s one of the things we’re focused on, that everyone here and a lot of others have been focused on, and making it a great experience for everyone, including the team. When they come back, they have to make sure they can continue to be competitive because this game is real, this counts, and they’re going to move on to Week 2 as soon as they get out of here.”
Goodell also made it clear that the 49ers-Rams game in Australia is not an isolated event but the beginning of an investment in the market.
“There’s no question we’re going to play here again. Our view is we’re coming here for the long term. We’re not coming here as a one-off. This is not a circus. It’s an investment in this market, and we think it’s long-term and it’s going to be great for the NFL in the long run,” Goodell said.
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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell attends the 2026 NFL Pro Bowl game between the AFC and NFC at the Moscone Center South in San Francisco on February 3, 2026. (Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
Shanahan and the other 31 NFL head coaches may not like the idea of playing a game that requires a 19- to 20-hour flight, but they have little to say about it. While Shanahan might not see a “pro” in having to play overseas, he does think it’s cool to see the NFL on a global level.
“I don’t see any professionals,” Shanahan said. “It’s great that the league plays globally. I think it’s awesome. But as far as the team doing it, no, there’s not much benefit to it. Sometimes it’s nice to have a bye a week later, but it doesn’t happen in Week 1.”
