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General Manager John Lynch says the NFL promised the 49ers scheduling relief to offset a record-breaking travel itinerary featuring games in Australia and Mexico.
Lynch told NBC Sports Bay Area on Tuesday that the league assured "grace on the back end" of the schedule to mitigate the physical toll. The 49ers are projected to travel over 38,100 miles in 2026, shattering the NFL single-season record.
The 2026 slate includes the league's first regular-season game in the Southern Hemisphere. San Francisco will face the Los Angeles Rams at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Week 1. The team is also scheduled to play at Estadio Banorte in Mexico City in December.
Speaking from the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Lynch acknowledged the team is a "draw" for international markets but emphasized the need to protect players. He indicated the team would utilize sports science to manage the disruption.
"We've talked with the league and the league has assured us they'll give us some... scheduling to help ease that burden," Lynch said.
John Lynch on playing in Australia and the burden of the 49ers playing two international games in 2026:
“I’ve never been to Australia. I don’t know if I necessarily wanted to go there for a football game, but we’re going and I’m excited to go... How do we take the burden off… pic.twitter.com/Dvuq8KLPBx
MORE: 49ers' 25-year-old CB predicted as most likely player to be traded this offseason
NFL to host first regular-season game in Australia at MCG
The National Football League will play its first regular-season game in Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Commissioner Roger Goodell announced.
"Expanding to Melbourne... underlines our ambitions to become a global sport," Goodell said.
Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan confirmed the state will host the matchup at the 100,000-seat stadium. The venue requires a complex turf conversion to transform the traditional cricket pitch into a regulation NFL surface.
49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk criticized the logistics, citing the extreme travel burden and the loss of home-field advantage at Levi's Stadium.
"That's not fair. Then the NFL, I feel, is doing us a disservice," Juszczyk said.
San Francisco concluded the 2025 season with a 12-5 record and the No. 6 playoff seed. The team improved by six wins over 2024 following the return of defensive coordinator Robert Saleh.
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