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The San Francisco 49ers will be heading abroad next season to face their NFC West rival, the Los Angeles Rams, in Melbourne, Australia, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
Currently, the date and time are still to be announced. However, the game, organized in partnership with the Victorian State Government and Visit Victoria, will be one of a record nine international NFL games planned for 2026.
On Feb. 6, George Kittle shared his thoughts on being the first team to play an NFL game in Australia during an appearance on the “Pat McAfee Show.”
“I’ve only done one international game, that was Mexico City, so not that hard of a flight,” Kittle said. “That was pretty fun too because that was basically a home game for us because Mexico City loves the 49ers. Sure, it’ll be a great time, though.
“I’m looking forward to it. I’ve never been. I’m excited for the 16‑hour flight from San Francisco. It’s going to be great. Me and Christian McCaffrey will be sitting right next to each other for the whole flight, and I’m probably going to annoy him the entire time.”
Fred Warner Doesn’t Hold back on Raheem Morris
On this trip, the 49ers will have a new defensive coordinator in Raheem Morris. With Morris ready to take over for Robert Saleh, who left for the Tennessee Titans head coach job. Saleh did what he could with the unit after injuries devastated the group.
As a result, Morris should have a healthy Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams, along with any new additions on defense. Moreover, he will also have Fred Warner ready to go next season too.
Warner spoke with NBC Sports Bay Area and shared his thoughts on his new defensive coordinator.
“That we’re ready to work, man,” Warner said on Feb. 3. “It’s not a bunch of guys who are set in their ways at all. I’m going into year nine, and I’m ready to learn and adapt to whatever he’s giving to us.
“So, we’re all ready to work, we’re all hungry to get back to being dominant and give ourselves a chance to win a Super Bowl.”
49ers Defense Ready to Step Up in 2026
Furthermore, the 49ers’ defense featured young players who needed to step into prominent roles this season. As a result, the injuries were a blessing in disguise for their development.
Now, heading into the 2026 season, Warner explained how the entire group can move forward and hopefully have a healthy campaign.
“Ultimately, it’s just demanding excellence of your group every single day,” Warner added. “You can’t let little things slide when it comes to just the details of how to play defense day-to-day. It truly is just demanding the best.
“If you’re a player, you should want the best of yourself to be one of the best in the league at your position. And if everybody’s doing that, everybody’s holding each other accountable… and you do that every single day, you look up and you’re like, ‘OK, man, we did it.’ I think that’s what it is ultimately going to take.”
Eduardo Razo Eduardo Razo is a sports writer for Heavy.com, covering the NFL, MLB, and college football. He has previously covered the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB for NBC Sports Washington and NBC Sports Bay Area & California, and has freelanced for PSG Talk, covering Paris Saint-Germain. He also worked as an editor at Athlon Sports, focusing on MLB and the NFL. More about Eduardo Razo
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