The San Francisco 49ers got hit with a brutal travel schedule this year. Not only do they have to open the season in Australia, but they also have a Week 11 game in Mexico City, which will make them the first team in NFL history to play two international games in non-consecutive weeks in the same season.
When the NFL released its schedule on May 14, it looked like the 49ers were going to travel a record 38,105 miles, but that might not be the case. According to Kyle Shanahan, the 49ers are considering a unique travel plan for their game in Mexico City. If they go through with it, then they won’t break the record for most miles traveled in a season.
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How the 49ers’ unique travel plan changes their mileage total
Once Week 11 hits, the Mexico City game will bring a new challenge for the 49ers. The Mexican capital has an altitude of 7,350 feet, which is higher than any city in the NFL, including Denver, which sits at 5,280 feet.
The 49ers want to get acclimated to the altitude, and according to Shanahan, the team’s plan is to practice in Colorado the week before heading to Mexico to face the Minnesota Vikings.
“The main thing with Mexico City is it’s 2,000 [feet] higher than Denver,” Shanahan said Thursday. “We like to get adjusted to that altitude. So, we’ll probably go to Colorado Springs again like we did last time to get ready for that altitude and then probably go to Mexico City the night before.”
The 49ers play at Dallas in Week 10, and if they go through with their plan, they would fly from Texas to Colorado after their Nov. 15 game against the Cowboys.
“We haven’t decided that yet, but most likely,” Shanahan said of flying from Texas to Colorado.
If the team decides to fly to Colorado Springs after playing Dallas, the upside is that there will be less travel involved. The downside is they would no longer set the record for most miles traveled.
If they don’t fly to Colorado Springs, their travel in Weeks 10 and 11 would look like this (note: the 49ers fly out of San Jose):
Week 10
- San Jose to Dallas
- Dallas to San Jose
Total: 2,876 miles round trip
Week 11
- San Jose to Mexico City
- Mexico City to San Jose
Total: 3,702 miles round trip
Total with both trips: 6,578 miles
If they head to Colorado after the Dallas game, their travel during that period would look like this:
- San Jose to Dallas (1,438)
- Dallas to Colorado Springs (592)
- Colorado Springs to Mexico City (1,376)
- Mexico City to San Jose (1,851)
Total for all four: 5,257 miles
The 49ers’ record-setting travel total assumes they return home after playing Dallas. However, if they end up in Colorado, that will cut their travel down by 1,321 miles, which will trim their total from 38,105 miles down to 36,784. At that number, they won’t set the NFL’s mileage record.
The Los Angeles Chargers set the record for most travel last season when they flew 37,086 miles, and that record will stand for at least another year if the 49ers decide to take a pitstop in Colorado before heading to Mexico City in Week 11.
