Kyle Shanahan has admitted he is struggling to keep track of the days as the San Francisco 49ers prepare to face the Los Angeles Rams in Australia.
The 49ers head coach joked that he feels like he is “in the future” after arriving in Melbourne, where the time difference has left him comparing different dates depending on where his family and team are based.
San Francisco travelled roughly 16 hours to Melbourne for the historic Week 1 meeting with the Rams. The game will take place on Friday in Australia, although it is Thursday Night Football for viewers in the United States.
That unusual schedule has forced Shanahan to approach the week differently while trying to keep his players on their normal routine.
Kyle Shanahan explains bizarre Australia schedule
Speaking to reporters in Melbourne, Shanahan admitted that even he was having trouble understanding exactly which day it was.
“We’re a little confused,” he began. “When I look at my clock and it says the time and then I try to see my family’s time and then it says the time, but it says yesterday, I don’t even get how that’s possible. I feel like I’m in the future.”
Things became even more confusing when Shanahan tried to explain the 49ers’ weekly routine.
“We play on our Friday, which I think is a Thursday in the U.S.,” Shanahan said. “We’re such creatures of habit, so I call today Wednesday, which is the first day we put in a game plan. But, I think it’s Monday. However, though, it’s Sunday in the present.”
The coach eventually admitted he was likely to keep mixing up the days throughout the week.
“So I’m going to mess that up all week if you guys ask me. But, today is just our first day of the game plan, which is a Wednesday. We’ll put in some on Thursday. Friday is the final part of the game plan. Saturday we walk through and we play on Sunday, which is a Friday in Australia and a Thursday in the U.S.”
Shanahan’s unusual explanation also gave him a convenient way to avoid discussing injuries before the appropriate time.
“Because we’re technically in the future from where we’re from and the Rams are in the present, I don’t have to talk about injuries until tomorrow,” he said.
There are still genuine injury concerns surrounding San Francisco, with Sam Okuayinonu suffering a broken foot before the trip and requiring surgery. Nick Bosa and Christian McCaffrey also had limited involvement as the 49ers adjusted in Melbourne.
Despite the confusion, Shanahan said he was feeling good after taking a couple of days to adjust. Now the focus turns towards Friday’s clash, when the 49ers will finally discover whether their unusual preparation has worked.
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