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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has dismissed San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan’s concerns about playing in Australia in Week 1.
The 49ers play their first game of the 2026 season in Melbourne, Australia, against the Los Angeles Rams, and Shanahan told reporters at the league’s owners’ meetings last month that he saw no benefit.
Shanahan joked that his goal was to play a game between 7 and 8 p.m. to start the season.
Goodell said he would send Shanahan an app that would help him combat 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 that I’m going to send to him because my wife hooked me up with an app. And I have to tell you, I feel great. I didn’t feel any jet lag. 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 strives to make it a great experience for everyone.
“Coaches are focused on winning, that’s their No. 1 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 don’t get in the way of that,” Goodell said.
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San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan watches from the sidelines during the second half against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Tampa, Florida on October 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, everyone here and so many others have been focused on, and make it a great experience for everyone, including the team. When they come back, they need to make sure they’re able to continue to be competitive because this game is real, it matters, and they’ll move on to Week 2 as soon as they leave here.”
Goodell also clarified that the 49ers-Rams game in Australia is not a one-off event but the start of an investment in the market.
“There’s no doubt we’re going to play here again. Our view is we’re coming here for the long term. We’re not coming on a one-off basis. It’s 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 Moscone Center South in San Francisco on February 3, 2026. (Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
Shanahan and the NFL’s 31 other head coaches may not like the idea of playing a game that requires a 19-20 hour flight, but they don’t have much say in the matter. While Shanahan may not see an advantage in having to play overseas, he thinks it’s cool to see the NFL on a global scale.
“I don’t see any pros,” Shanahan said. “It’s cool for the league to play globally. I think it’s great. But as far as the team doing it, no, it doesn’t bring much benefit. Sometimes it’s nice to have a week off afterwards, but that doesn’t happen in Week 1.”
