Why the 49ers Were the Perfect Advert for the NFL's Australia Opener

Take note, LA Rams.

Sep 11, 2026; Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan at press conference after the 2026 NFL Melbourne Game against the Los Angeles Rams at Melbourne Cricket Ground. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Now that the dust has settled and the San Francisco 49ers have arrived back home, the whole trip can be considered as successful as it could have been.

Okay, firstly, to those who were injured either in the game or in the build-up, absolutely not. But from the broader commercial aspects of the trip, the 49ers were the perfect ambassadors for the NFL.

San Francisco made the trip over a week ago and had plenty of time to acclimatize, but they also partook in all the media activities and treated it as any new NFL territory should be treated.

In George Kittle's words, they treated it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and they clearly made the most of their time there.

But it wasn't always like that. Kyle Shanahan openly said he didn't like that they were selected as the designated away team to face the Los Angeles Rams. In fact, he openly said that the Rams lobbied for them to be the away team as a way of escaping a packed-out red crowd at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

That opinion didn't extend to the experience itself. He was simply defending his team from a welfare perspective and that's how any head coach of an NFL organization should act. Yet once the team arrived in Australia, he did not allow that opinion to overshadow the incredible opportunity.

Shanahan embraced what the trip represented. He understood that this was not simply another regular-season game. Rather, an opportunity for the NFL to introduce itself to a new audience.

He and the main leaders of the franchise, as a collective, whether speaking to the media, doing PR duties, interacting with fans or simply being visible throughout the trip, represented the 49ers in the right way.

Yet, the Rams chose to go at the last possible minute, went on to produce poorly and lose 27-7, and then simply took the flight home like nothing had happened.

For the designated home team, one would expect them to at least somewhat care about representing the NFL in a new territory. Instead, they embarrassed themselves with their arrogant approach to the trip.

The victory over the Rams makes the long 16-hour flight home that much sweeter, but one can imagine the impression the 49ers made could lead to future appearances.

That said, the NFL wants to keep expanding, and perhaps the 49ers have established a new, passionate fanbase based on their actions over the last couple of weeks.