Overview
- The 49ers boarded an overnight flight Wednesday night, Sept. 2, Pacific Time and landed in Melbourne Friday morning, Sept. 4, Australia Eastern Standard Time, which meant the calendar date of Sept. 3 never occurred for the team in transit.
- Defensive coordinator Raheem Morris reached his 50th birthday on Sept. 3 while the team was flying, so he effectively spent the milestone day in transit rather than on the ground.
- Head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters the squad is still adjusting to the time shift and that players can feel fine one hour and fatigued five hours later as they adapt to the new schedule.
- San Francisco chose to arrive several days early to help players acclimate to the large time‑zone change, while the Los Angeles Rams plan to arrive in Melbourne only a day before kickoff and return home soon after the game.
- The episode illustrates how crossing the International Date Line can alter daily calendars and personal plans for teams and staff, and it highlights a practical choice teams now weigh about longer stays versus short turnarounds and how that choice could affect game preparation.