Los Angeles Rams Arrive in Australia After 15-Hour Flight Ahead of Game vs. 49ers

The Los Angeles Rams finally arrived in Melbourne on Thursday morning, just 26 hours before their NFL season opener against the San Francisco 49ers. The long 15-hour trip left several players looking tired as they walked through the airport. While the 49ers flew to Australia a whole week earlier to get used to the time change, the Rams waited until the very last minute to make the flight.

Matthew Stafford and head coach Sean McVay looked completely wiped out as they walked off the plane, whereas Puka Nacua showed more energy and another player could not stop yawning while waiting for bags. The game is scheduled at the Melbourne Cricket Ground at 10:35 a.m. Friday local time. In total, the team will spend about 30 hours in the air while traveling more than 15,000 miles.

Earlier in the week, both McVay and Stafford defended the travel plan. McVay stated that they did not believe their approach offered the only right answer, but rather what they thought was best based on past experience. Stafford also backed the plan, pointing to a similar approach the team used when playing in London last season.

However, that previous trip to London started from the East Coast with a much shorter travel distance compared to the journey to Australia. Now, the Rams will have little time to recover and adjust after crossing the Pacific, while the 49ers have had several extra days to settle in before the NFC West matchup.