The 49ers’ first two games of the 2025 NFL season could be problematic.
San Francisco will begin on the road for a fortnight, first facing its archrival Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field and afterward the New Orleans Saints at the Caesars Superdome — two of the league’s more hostile environments.
Coach Kyle Shanahan explained to reporters before 49ers practice on Wednesday how the 49ers view and have prepared for the raucous.
“It can be (problematic), Shanahan said in Santa Clara. “That’s why we’re really working on it hard (and) started doing that last week. We’re going to do it all this week; usually, that’s enough. But there are a number of new guys who are just hopping in stuff, so they got to get used to the cadences and all the differences with the motions and things like that.
Several new players, such as veteran wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling, still are learning San Francisco’s playbook and cadences.
It probably won’t be easy for the new players to make their 49ers debuts on the road. But professionals are professionals, and Shanahan seemingly is optimistic about his team preparing the right way.
“It’s always a challenge,” Shanahan said about crowd noise. “We challenge (ourselves) throughout the week, and hopefully by Sunday, it feels second nature to us.”
Seattle’s “12th Man” and New Orleans’ “Who Dat Nation” surely won’t go light on San Francisco, whose Faithful will be echoing their support from afar.
However, the intimidating NFC crowds will quieten if the 49ers take care of business, which is what Shanahan and his team intend to do.
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