From 6,000 to 34,000 miles: Here’s how much each NFL team will travel
WASHINGTON —
The first international NFL game of the season kicks off Thursday night, with the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams meeting in Melbourne, Australia. The historic matchup is the first time any NFL team has played in Australia.
Thursday night’s game is the first of nine international games on the NFL schedule this season, the most the league has ever held in a single season. Sixteen teams will travel abroad to play in Rio de Janeiro, London, Paris, Madrid, Munich and Mexico City.
With the expanded international schedule, the Get the Facts Data Team calculated how far each team will travel this season to see which team will log the most miles.
Which NFL team is traveling the most?
Out of all 32 teams, the San Francisco 49ers will travel at least 34,000 miles this season, according to the Get the Facts Data Team analysis of the NFL schedule.
The Data Team used the coordinates of the 38 stadiums hosting NFL games this season to calculate the distance each team will travel. The total miles traveled are measurements between stadiums, not the miles traveled by plane or car.
The 49ers have two international games this season, the opener in Melbourne and another in Mexico City against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 11. But the 49ers are not the only team with two international games on their schedule.
The Jacksonville Jaguars will play back-to-back games in England during weeks 6 and 7. But playing one or even two international games does not necessarily mean a team will travel the most miles.
The Jaguars ranked 10th among all the teams, traveling at least 19,200 miles. Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks, which do not have an international game on their schedule, will travel nearly 19,800 miles.
Which team is traveling the farthest route?
Despite ranking second in total miles traveled this season, the Rams have the longest route this season. Their season opener at Melbourne Cricket Ground is nearly 8,100 miles from their home stadium.
The Dallas Cowboys will travel the third-longest route, traveling from their home stadium in Arlington, Texas, to Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Thursday night’s game kicks off at 8:35 p.m. EDT. The second international game will feature the Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens in Week 3.