Trent Williams Shares Harsh Words About 49ers-Rams Season Opener

He's not wrong.

Oct 19, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams (71) is interviewed after defeating the Atlanta Falcons at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

A new and refreshing perspective has emerged on the San Francisco 49ers' season opener in Australia.

This time it's from left tackle Trent Williams. Kyle Shanahan has already expressed sarcastic responses, while George Kittle chooses to be optimistic, though he may not be healthy in time for the matchup.

Williams' comments were a tongue-in-cheek way of suggesting that the Rams would rather play the 49ers on neutral ground than in Los Angeles, where the SoFi Stadium has often seen more fans in red and gold rather than blue and yellow.

“I’m not thrilled about it. In my opinion, it takes away a home game. That’s probably the biggest downside," Williams stated in front of reporters on Wednesday.

"As for why it’s the Rams, I’ll let people draw their own conclusions. It's probably why we had to play the Rams in Australia - to cover up some of the ticket-sale deficiencies they have in Los Angeles. I’ll leave it at that."

Williams also admitted that nobody in the 49ers' locker room is particularly looking forward to the trip itself. The journey from San Francisco to Melbourne will involve a flight of more than 19 hours, crossing multiple time zones and requiring players to adapt to an entirely different environment before taking the field.

November 24, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams (71) during the first quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

That said, he acknowledged that once the travel is behind them, the focus will quickly shift to the opportunity ahead. Playing football at one of Australia's most iconic venues, in front of a global audience, is an experience few NFL players ever get, and one the 49ers are eager to embrace.

"At the end of the day, nobody is excited about a 20-hour flight to play a football game. That’s just the reality of it.

"But once the game kicks off, none of that matters. It’s an opportunity to play on a global stage, and we’ll be ready for it.”

The 49ers have two international games to look forward to, but travelling to Australia presents an entirely new challenge as the NFL takes centre stage Down Under for the first time.

While the opportunity could not be more exciting, it will be crucial for the 49ers to prepare this offseason accordingly to maximise their chances of starting the season with a win.

San Francisco and Los Angeles will face challenges unlike any have encountered before. Williams' perspective reinforces both sides of the argument about hosting an NFL game on the other side of the world.