Kyle Juszczyk Sounds Off on 49ers' Preparation for Australia Game

How the 49ers will deal with the long-distance travel.

Jan 11, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk (44) leaves the field after an NFC Wild Card Round game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The weeks are flying by, and the San Francisco 49ers will kick off the regular season on the other side of the world.

As the NFL expands its international reach, San Francisco will face the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia, before returning home for three consecutive games at Levi's Stadium.

49ers FB Kyle Juszczyk discusses how the 49ers could prepare for Australia

Jan 3, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk (44) before the game at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

A 16-hour flight awaits, and it remains unclear when the 49ers will make the trip overseas. One report suggested the team could depart immediately after its final preseason game to allow players time to acclimatize.

Preparation, training, and adjusting to a different environment and timezone will prove to be major factors given the distance both teams must travel for the matchup.

"It's a long, long flight," Juszczyk explained on The Rich Eisen Show. "But what a cool experience to be one of the first teams to ever play an NFL game in Australia and to play in such a big stadium like that and have over 100,000 fans there. It's going to be a cool life experience.

"The weeks after that might not be the best as far as recovery and that sort of thing. It's not ideal, but it's something we're going to deal with. We're going to figure it out. We're going to be okay. We're going to take it head-on.

"At the end of the day, it's about how well you can play football," he said. "It's not about how far you have to travel. Hopefully we can travel far and play good."

With the season opener rapidly approaching, all eyes will be on how both teams handle the unique circumstances surrounding one of the most anticipated international games in recent NFL history.

It’s going to be a very high-stakes matchup so early in the season. Normally, no games can truly be considered must-win situations this early — especially in a season opener — but this one carries a different weight considering the travel demands and attention surrounding it. Both the 49ers and the Rams will be trying to avoid falling behind immediately after such an exhausting trip across the globe.

Beyond the result itself, the physical recovery and preparation process could have lasting effects in the weeks that follow. A strong start in Australia could help build momentum heading into the early stretch of the season, while a sluggish performance may raise concerns about how each team handled the long-distance travel and unusual scheduling circumstances.