49ers coach Kyle Shanahan delivers humorous press conference ahead of Australia opener

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan held a press conference in Melbourne on Monday, offering jokes about the 17-hour time difference between Australia and California. He said the schedule confusion meant he could postpone injury updates until the following day, noting, "Because we're technically in the future from where we're from and the Rams are in the present, I don't have to talk about injuries until tomorrow."

Shanahan explained the team's adjusted weekly routine, describing how the Friday game in Australia aligns with a Thursday in the United States and how practice days are being relabeled to fit the new timeline. He added that the time-zone shift can affect players differently, with some feeling fine initially and others adjusting later.

When asked about his impressions of Melbourne, Shanahan said the city seemed normal and cool, contrary to expectations of seeing kangaroos or crocodiles. He also commented on an Australian Rules Football match he attended, noting the different scoring display and the lack of pads, and humorously suggested the NFL could adopt a similar visual cue.

Shanahan addressed the logistics of the team's travel, including a seating arrangement on the flight that placed quarterback Brock Purdy behind center Jake Brendel, calling it "just luck." He expressed optimism about the upcoming game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, hoping the field markings would be correctly laid out and anticipating strong fan support despite the venue being away from the team's usual home crowd.