The San Francisco 49ers held their first practice in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, ahead of their season opener against the Los Angeles Rams. Key players Nick Bosa and Christian McCaffrey did not participate in the session. Defensive end Sam Okuayinonu suffered a broken foot and was placed on injured reserve.
Running back Christian McCaffrey was observed going through individual warmup drills but did not participate in the main practice. According to McCaffrey, “everybody feels pretty great” due to a detailed plan provided by the 49ers’ medical staff. He had previously sat out two weeks of training camp as part of a plan to keep him “fresh for the duration” of the season.
Defensive end Nick Bosa, recovering from a torn right ACL, was not seen on the field. He had returned to practice last Wednesday and stated he felt good and expected to play in Week 1.
Defensive end Sam Okuayinonu broke his foot during a bonus practice Saturday and will require surgery. Head coach Kyle Shanahan described the injury as “a bad injury” and a “real tough loss,” hoping Okuayinonu can return later in the year. San Francisco signed defensive end Khalid Kareem from the Atlanta Falcons’ practice squad to fill Okuayinonu’s roster spot.
Coach Shanahan noted the team is “technically in the future” and won’t be required to provide an injury report until Wednesday morning, which is Tuesday night on the West Coast. He also shared his initial impressions of Melbourne, stating, “I don't see kangaroos and crocodiles everywhere. I was expecting to see that, and it looks like a very normal, cool city.” Christian McCaffrey was similarly surprised by the quality of the coffee, calling it “unbelievable.” Wide receiver Mike Evans was pleasantly surprised by the food in Melbourne, having expected it to be poor. Players reported minimal difficulty adjusting to the time zone.
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