Rams news: Stephen A. Smith calls out Los Angeles' 'mistake' in loss vs. 49ers appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Los Angeles Rams' unusual travel strategy to Australia is already receiving criticism after their disastrous season opener against the San Francisco 49ers.
Stephen A. Smith called out the Rams for arriving in Melbourne roughly 28 hours before kickoff ahead of their 27-7 loss to the Niners.
"You got there 28 hours before the game; clearly that appeared to be a mistake," Smith said. On the Rams' worst day, they are scoring more than seven points. On their worst day, they are averaging more than 6.2 yards per play. Being up 7-3 and being outscored 24-0 after that is not the Los Angeles Rams."
The Rams intentionally stayed on Pacific Time and arrived shortly before the game, while the 49ers took the opposite approach. San Francisco arrived about a week early, giving Kyle Shanahan's team significantly more time to acclimate to Melbourne and its 17-hour time difference from Los Angeles.

#angeles

The San Francisco 49ers opened their 2026 regular season with an emphatic win over the NFC West-rival Los Angeles Rams by a 27-7 final score.
The Niners effectively silenced doubters through Week 1, with a dominant performance that will undoubtedly reposition some stances taken with San Francisco and just how good it can be.
The defense allowed just one score and the offense scored 24 unanswered points after going down 7-3 early in the second quarter. Quarterback Brock Purdy completed 25 of 34 passes for 205 yards and three touchdowns.
"I mean, at the end of the day, it comes down to playing our style of ball, doing what coaches coach us up to do, and running our plays," Purdy said in a postgame interview with Netflix. "Obviously, you got to respect the other guys on the other side, and we know what they can do. But at the end of the day, man, it comes down to executing, protecting the ball, moving the ball, getting points on (the) board, keeping it simple."
It was an overall team effort that forces others to look closer at what's going on with San Francisco. Here's what we learned from the 49ers' Week 1 victory against the Rams:

#francisco #down #Purdy

An early Los Angeles Rams celebration poking fun at a widely discussed travel debate backfired spectacularly against the 49ers when San Francisco responded with 24 unanswered points to secure a Week 1 win in Melbourne, Australia.
In the days leading up to this season-opening NFC West matchup, the discourse surrounding the game was less about the players on the field, and more about the way they'd get there from the United States. With the game set to take place in Melbourne on Friday morning local time, each team tried a different approach to account for the 17-hour time difference from California (where it was still Thursday afternoon). The Niners flew out of San Francisco last Wednesday to get acclimated to the new time zone and have a full week of practice. The Rams, meanwhile, did not fly in until the day before the game, with the thought of keeping their players' biological clocks on West Coast time.
It became clear that the Week 1 affair would be a referendum on the superior preparation approach, and, at first, it certainly looked like the Rams made the smarter choice. They were dominant early and scored the game's first touchdown. Los Angeles even made fun of the whole debate early in the second quarter after a bad Brock Purdy pick. The whole defense celebrated in the end zone with players taking a nap on the grass.
However, it proved to be a bit early to spike the proverbial football. The Rams followed up with an inexplicable interception of their own, and the Niners drove 86 yards down the field for their first touchdown of the game. From there, things completely fell apart for Los Angeles as the Raheem Morris-led Niners defense kept the Rams from doing anything, and Kyle Shanahan's offense somehow turned Myles Garrett - the biggest acquisition in the NFL this offseason - completely invisible. San Francisco scored 24 straight points, including seven from a 99-yard drive down the field, and even forced two more turnovers.
Linebacker Fred Warner even gave a response of his own, getting a Steph Curry-style night-night celebration off in his first game since fracturing his ankle last season.

#Rams #game #angeles

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Richard Trang booked his tickets soon after the NFL announced the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers season opener would be played in Australia, and was one of the thousands of Americans who made their first trip Down Under to coincide with the game.
An accountant who is originally from Charlotte, North Carolina but now lives in San Francisco, Trang soaked up the atmosphere on a bright, sunny Friday morning at the 100,000-seat Melbourne Cricket Ground.
"It's been great seeing all these red jerseys," Trang said ahead of the game. "I love the mutual respect between Niners fans and Australians. We love that the Niners came a week early, and Australians feel the same way."
The 49ers arrived last week and took time in Melbourne to prepare for the game. The Rams arrived a day ahead of time.
Nick and Dorcas Mwangi, who live in Los Angeles, described the chance to see the Rams play in Australia as a once in a lifetime opportunity.

#australia #Rams #niners #ahead

Editor's note: Keep up with the Rams-49ers game with our live blog, here.
There's a certain imagery that comes with football season, or more specifically, "football weather." Autumn. A cold, brisk air. Colorful leaves crunching on the ground. Maybe even some rain.
But football weather might look a bit different when the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers kick off Week 1 on Thursday, Sept. 10 in Melbourne, Australia.
As you hopefully learned in school, seasons are flipped between the Northern and Southern hemispheres, meaning that it's currently spring Down Under. According to AccuWeather, the high in Melbourne is forecasted to be 60 degrees Fahrenheit, but it's set to be 53 degrees when the Rams and Niners kick off at 10:35 a.m. local time Friday (5:35 p.m. PT Thursday), or "good weather for the game and tailgating."
Here's what you need to know about the weather in Australia for the NFL's historic Week 1 matchup:

#Rams #Football #melbourne

The San Francisco 49ers are Down Under to open their NFL season against the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, and ABC7 Eyewitness News will have complete coverage from Australia and the Bay Area.
ABC7's J.R. Stone has arrived in Melbourne and will have live reports in the lead-up to the season opener and the latest on how 49ers fans are enjoying everything Australia has to offer.
The Niners arrived in Melbourne Friday morning, held a light practice on Saturday, took Sunday off and then have a normal stretch of three practices on Monday through Wednesday before playing the opener on Friday morning.
They will leave right after the game and are expected to land back in the Bay Area on Friday afternoon. They then will be able to take the weekend off before preparing for the Week 2 game against Miami on Sept. 20.
"It's a big adjustment on the body," coach Kyle Shanahan said. "So, the recommendation for everybody has been to tell us when to go, and it's made a lot of sense. I know how our players feel also. I was a little bit on the fence. Science wasn't and what I was reported on and our players weren't at all. So that helped me get off the fence."

#Friday #australia #season #morning

After a whirlwind offseason and preseason, the San Francisco 49ers got some much-needed good news going into Week 1 of the NFL season.
Nick Bosa will play against NFC West rival Los Angeles Rams in Thursday's season opener in Melbourne, Australia, defensive coordinator Raheem Morris told reporters Monday, Sept. 8. The All-Pro edge rusher tore his right ACL in Week 3 last season and began doing individual drills during training camp in July but was soon sidelined again with tendinitis. He continued to rehab in recent weeks and returned to practice on Sept. 2. He progressed enough in his rehab to travel with the Niners to Melbourne, but his status remained unclear.
That was until Morris addressed the media on Monday night in no uncertain terms.
"Oh, he's going out there," Morris said. "Whatever you want to say, he's going. He'll be there. We're not hiding that."
Bosa took the field for practice in full uniform on Monday with a brace on his right knee. A few other key players on the injury report – tight end George Kittle, wide receiver Mike Evans and running back Christian McCaffrey – were all reportedly fully dressed as well.

#Monday

MELBOURNE, Australia - On a cloudy Sunday afternoon, an Australian man moseys down Flinders Street, one of the city's most historic roads, decked out in 49ers gear.
"You a Niners fan?" I ask as the man approaches, fully knowing the answer. He's rocking a white Christian McCaffrey jersey, a gold Super Bowl XXIV hat and an oversize red chain necklace attached to an oval-shaped 49ers logo. He's holding a red and gold pompom in his left hand.
For most NFL fans, this would be an excessive outfit on a game day. Raymond Schembri is wearing it five days before the San Francisco 49ers play their season-opener against the Los Angeles Rams at Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Yet can you really blame Schembri? He has been waiting for this moment all his life.
"I've been a Niners fan for as long as I can remember," says Schembri, a 58-year-old resident of Yarraville, a nearby suburb. "To hear that they were actually coming to my backyard - our backyard - just (blew) us away."

#niners #australia #sunday #flinders

Kyle Shanahan believes that the Los Angeles Rams are so pressed about playing the 49ers at SoFi Stadium that they convinced the NFL to move the game to Australia this season, and San Francisco's coach said on Sunday that it still won't matter. In a press conference just days ahead of their Week 1 matchup, Shanahan said that the league "let the Rams off the hook" by moving a Niners "home game" (aka at SoFi Stadium) to Melbourne, but that "it won't be much different here".
Shanahan expects the same pro-49ers crowd to be present at the Melbourne Cricket Grounds this Thursday.
The 49ers have had an undeniable presence at SoFi Stadium, but Shanahan isn't being shy about his belief that the Rams have pushed the NFL to move the game as to avoid the story this year. ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio has described Shanahan's attitude about the game this season as "salty" regarding the trip to Australia:
49ers coach Kyle Shanahan has been salty about the Rams' desire to export a home game to Australia, in order to avoid yet another San Francisco-fan takeover of SoFi Stadium. Now that Shanahan and the 49ers have hunkered down in Melbourne, Shanahan feels differently.
Shanahan currently believes "it won't be much different" in Austrialia — and he expects the so-called Faithful to take over the 100,000-seat Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday night.

#Rams #australia #won 't #kyle

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sean McVay has never been afraid to buck conventional NFL logic, and he is doing so once again with the Los Angeles Rams' unusual travel plans for their season opener in Australia.
The Rams are leaving Southern California on Tuesday night and will arrive in Australia on Thursday, roughly 24 hours before their game against the San Francisco 49ers kicks off at 10:35 a.m. local time on Friday morning at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The Niners will spend one week in Melbourne, having arrived last Friday for what is expected to be the first of several NFL regular-season games in a country and venue traditionally ******* ociated with cricket and Australian rules football.
"It doesn't mean that we think we're right and a different approach is wrong," McVay said Sunday. "It's just what we think is best based on the things that we've done and what we've learned over our time here."
McVay said the plan was influenced in part by how the Rams approached their game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London last October, when they arrived on Saturday morning for a Sunday afternoon start. They rolled to a comfortable 35-7 win at Wembley Stadium.

#Rams #Friday

49ers' George Kittle gets major status update for Week 1 vs. Rams after $2M roster cut originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The San Francisco 49ers will face their division rival, the Los Angeles Rams, in the season opener. There are still some important questions surrounding the status of Nick Bosa and George Kittle as they try to make it back in time to play.
Kittle suffered his injury during the playoffs last season, tearing his Achilles against the Philadelphia Eagles.
"Niners tight end George Kittle suffered a torn Achilles in the second quarter of Sunday's 23-19 wild-card win over the Eagles, head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters postgame," NFL.com's Bobby Kownack wrote.
Earlier in the week, Kittle received a major update on his chances of playing in the season opener. He traveled with the 49ers to Australia with the possibility of making his return.

#Eagles

Layla Murray, fiancée of Kansas City Chiefs punter Matt Araiza, became the topic of discussion on the internet as she responded to Daejon Love's allegations on behalf of a woman dating a player in the National Football League (NFL).
Murray began her debunking with facts from league documentation, including public rosters, injured reserve lists, and practice squads.
"Let's debunk some of the things Daejon Love claims to do or be as someone dating an actual NFL player. First off, he claims to be injured. All these years, he would be on the IR for the Forty Niners, and you would see his name online on the IR practice squad and the staff," Murray pointed out.
She continued with equipment, as players do not usually bring helmets from the field after practice.
"For all public information, my fiancé does not bring his helmet home from practice. The only time I've ever seen him with his helmet at home was in the off-season, and he did train with his helmet on, but with other players and just a punt or at a park alone," Murray explained.

#helmet #dating #player #public

The San Francisco 49ers remain a top-10 team, but dropped a spot in ESPN's newest power rankings following the 2026 preseason. The 49ers went from No. 8 to No. 9 after being overtaken by the Baltimore Ravens.
The 49ers have once again been hit hard with injuries before the season even starts. Ricky Pearsall is already out for the year, George Kittle is still working his way back from an Achilles injury, and the receiver room has taken additional hits with ailments to veterans expected to anchor the offense like Mike Evans. That kind of attrition at the skill positions is a real concern heading into Week 1, even if some of the team's top players are looking healthier at this point in the summer.
Beyond the injury list, there's also lingering uncertainty up front. San Francisco's offensive line still has soft spots, especially at left guard, that could be exposed against the more physical fronts in the division. The defense, while solid, doesn't project as an elite unit after finishing with an NFL-worst 20 sacks a year ago. Mykell Williams is on the physically unable to perform list, and Nick Bosa remains a major question mark heading into the season.
This all adds up to a talented but banged-up roster that's now viewed as a tier below the top of a loaded NFC West. The Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks rank Nos. 1 and 2 on the ESPN power rankings, respectively, which makes the 49ers path to retaking the division a tall order.
San Francisco reached the divisional round last season despite similar injury issues, showing real resilience, but with the Rams and Seahawks both fortified this offseason, the margin for error just got smaller — and the Niners will need better injury luck than they've had in recent years to keep pace.

#francisco #rankings

San Francisco sports fans will luckily not have to rely on their Netflix subscription to see yet another local team's opener this year.
The NFL has advertised its 49ers-Rams game in Melbourne next week, the league's first game in Australia ever, as something you can only watch on Netflix. While that might be true for the majority of the country, local Niners fans will have a free alternative in NBC Bay Area.
"NBC Bay Area will televise Netflix's presentation of 49ers-Rams locally in the Bay Area, with coverage beginning at 4:30 p.m. PT with an NBC Bay Area special anchored in studio by Janelle ******* and Raj Mathai, with live reports from Australia from Anthony Flores," a news release from NBC Universal reads.
This is a result of the league's simulcast rules, which contractually require the league to show a local market's team for free, even if the game is on an exclusive streaming service. This applies to Monday Night Football, Thursday Night Football and now the International Game.
It's a policy that the league is quite proud of. In a news release announcing media distribution agreements through 2033, there's a line that reads "The NFL continues to be the only sports league that delivers all of its games - regular-season and playoffs - on free, over-the-air television."

#area #Rams

The San Francisco 49ers could have an interesting decision to make on Mac Jones after keeping three quarterbacks on their initial 53-man roster. Brock Purdy remains the starter, while Jones enters the final year of his contract as the main backup.
Meanwhile, Kurtis Rourke has earned a spot after making a strong impression during the preseason. That development could eventually give San Francisco the flexibility to revisit trade possibilities involving Jones. The 49ers were reportedly open to moving the experienced quarterback during the offseason. However, they did not receive an offer that met their valuation. Now, Rourke's emergence could change the equation.
Feb 4, 2026; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones on the NFL Network set at the Super Bowl LX media center at the Moscone Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
NFL insider Nick Wagoner believes keeping Rourke could eventually reopen the possibility of trading Jones. The rookie's development gives San Francisco another potential option behind Purdy, especially as Jones approaches free agency. An NFL-themed platform on X provides insider information on the situation.
"The Niners were always going to have starter Brock Purdy and backup Mac Jones on the initial 53-man roster, but retaining Kurtis Rourke as the third signal-caller indicates a few things about the future of the position. First, it shows that Rourke impressed enough in camp to earn a spot on the 53 despite suffering broken ribs in the first half of the first preseason game. With Jones entering the final year of his deal, the Niners are happy to hang on to him now as Purdy's primary backup. And though they'd love to keep him around, growing belief in Rourke could also reopen the possibility of trading Jones at some point. If not, Rourke, once he heals up, has a chance to show he's capable of being the top backup to Purdy in the not-too-distant future."

#rourke #backup #first #kurtis

The San Francisco 49ers' preseason finale against the Las Vegas Raiders ended with the visitors walking away with an 18-12 victory at Allegiant Stadium in Nevada on Aug. 27.
The Niners took a 12-9 lead with 9:09 remaining in the game after a 59-yard field goal from Eddy Piñeiro, who went 6-for-6 on field goals (24 yards, 25, 48, 59, 51, 54) in the final preseason game for San Francisco.
The Raiders answered on the next possession. Matt Gay hit a 48-yard field goal, tying the game 12-12 with 7:38 left.
The 49ers responded, going 50 yards in 12 plays and capping the possession with a 51-yard field goal to give San Francisco the lead with 1:51 remaining. The 49ers' defense stopped the Raiders and gave the ball back to their offense, which was able to extend the lead on a Pineiro 54-yard field goal.
No touchdowns were scored in the game, a credit to both defenses.

#raiders

The entirety of San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York's arrest video is humiliating, but some of the cringe-inducing aspects of the video stand out more than others.
Body camera footage shows the arrest of Jed York in East Palestine, Ohio. York was arrested on prostitution charges. East Palestine Police Dept
Here are the five most embarrassing parts of the 45-year-old's August 23 run-in with cops at a trailer park in East Palestine, Ohio.
York made no mention of his ties to the Niners as he was being thrown in handcuffs for allegedly engaging in prostitution, but he did apparently tell cops he had a unique profession.
During the video, a cop appeared to say York told him that he was "a real estate guy."

#ohio #body

The San Francisco 49ers were back on the practice fields at their SAP Performance Facility on Tuesday, but they were without one of their top players.
According to those on the scene, wide receiver Mike Evans didn't participate in Tuesday's session after dealing with a quad injury for most of camp and then leaving Sunday's practice after running a deep route. However, NBC Sports' Matt Maiocco reported that Evans is now dealing with a groin issue.
Evans can still be one of the most productive wide receivers in the league, especially in this offense, but injuries have held him back in recent years. Both the team and player hope that he will be full go once the regular season starts.
Brock Purdy's top wide receivers to target a practice are dwindling, as Christian Kirk and Jacob Cowing are also not participating. This leaves Purdy with Deebo Samuel, De'Zhaun Stribling, Demarcus Robinson and Jordan Watkins as the top healthy options right now.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: New injury crops up for 49ers No. 1 wide receiver

#wide #receiver #dealing

The San Francisco 49ers organization is under major scrutiny as owner John "Jed" York pleaded no contest to a pair of misdemeanor charges Monday after being arrested in Ohio on suspicion of engaging in prostitution. The spotlight is firmly on the Niners and their owner as more news continues to surface.
Mark Willard and Dan Dibley, radio hosts of 95.7 The Game, gave San Francisco Chronicle sports columnist Ann Killion a platform to speak on the outcome of York's actions for the organization as a whole.
“It’s a horrible look. It’s embarrassing for Jed York. It is about as tawdry a little situation as you could dream up. It’s it’s kind of unbelievable to me that someone could be that stupid.”annkillion on 49ers’ principle owner Jed York’s arrest in Ohio | WillardAndDibs pic.twitter.com/vsYpq6fWvH
— 95.7 The Game (957thegame) August 24, 2026
"Where do you think this is going? What is the effect on the organization?" Willard asked.

#organization #willard #john

Jed York's weekend arrest wasn't the first time San Francisco 49ers ownership has found itself on the wrong side of the law – though, ironically, those past legal missteps are largely why York finds himself in such a prominent position now.
York, 46, who pleaded no contest Monday, Aug. 24, to two misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and possessing criminal tools in Columbiana County, Ohio, after a charge of "engaging in prostitution" was reduced, was, until recently, the NFL's youngest principal owner. That track largely became available to him starting in 2000, when his uncle, Pro Football Hall of Famer Eddie DeBartolo Jr., relinquished control of the team to his sister Denise DeBartolo York (Jed York's mother) and brother-in-law John York (Jed York's father).
Prior to that, DeBartolo was widely perceived as an owner whom stars throughout the league wanted to play for given his demand for championship football – the 49ers won five Super Bowls between the 1981 and 1994 seasons, none since – but also his willingness to spare no expense while caring for the members of his roster. (The Niners would eventually be hit with nearly $1 million in fines and forfeited a fifth-round draft pick in 2001 plus a third-rounder in 2002 after the NFL found them guilty of circumventing the salary cap, which came into existence in 1994, during a 1999 investigation.)
But DeBartolo's legal issues away from football ultimately drove him from the league. He pleaded guilty to one felony charge of failing to report an alleged extortion attempt in 1998 amid his attempt to obtain a riverboat gambling license in Louisiana. Former state governor Edwin Edwards allegedly attempted to extract $400,000 from DeBartolo amid his bid for the license. The NFL fined DeBartolo $1 million and suspended him for the 1999 season due to his involvement with Edwards, who was imprisoned on racketeering charges in 2002.
As for DeBartolo, who entered the Hall of Fame in 2016 and remains close to his former players – he presented former Niners coach Bill Walsh plus team and NFL legends Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Fred Dean and Charles Haley as they went into Canton – he never returned to the team as its controlling owner following the suspension.

#owner #team #niners

The San Francisco 49ers are looking to get back to the top of the NFC after having injuries completely devastate their chances at ***** le contention over the last couple of seasons. Unfortunately, the franchise is now dealing with a significant off-the-field distraction.
According to WKBN, Niners owner John "Jed" York was arrested in East Palestine, Ohio, over the weekend and was found guilty of two misdemeanor charges.
York reportedly "pleaded no contest Monday morning to misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and possessing criminal tools" after being arrested on Sunday. He posted a $5,000 bond.
The police report filed the time and location of the arrest as 9: 35 a.m. at Wheat Hill Mobile Home Community off State Route 170.
Court records indicate that York was sentenced to two days in the Columbiana County Jail, to be served concurrently, with credit for a day served, and was ordered to pay $1150 in fines. A phone that was seized from the businessman was ordered to be returned, and $160 seized from him has been forfeited to the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force.

#arrested #charges

As long as injuries pile up for the San Francisco 49ers, it'll continue to be a talking point of the season.
Of course, not all injuries are the same. And being injured is not the same as being hurt. Guys play hurt all the time, while typically it's injured players who sit out. The Niners have a mix of both.
The injury report grew after practice on Saturday, Aug. 22 with multiple dings and injuries.
Wideout option Christian Kirk (calf) is questionable as he continued to work on a side field at Saturday's practice, Vic Tafur of The Athletic reports. Linebacker Nick Martin (hamstring) is questionable after he didn't participate in practice, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
Rookie receiver De'Zhaun Stribling is questionable and considered day-to-day due to a shoulder injury, according to Maiocco.

#practice #same

The San Francisco 49ers returned to the practice field on Saturday. According to The Athletic's Matt Barrows, the team brought back undrafted free agent tight end Khalil ******* ins. That's right, the tight end news we were all waiting for.
During Thursday's preseason game, the Niners played five different tight ends: Bradyen Willis (37 snaps), Hayden Rucci (29), Jake Tonges (18), Luke Farrell (13), and Josiaha Deguara (12).
The 49ers may want to see if ******* ins is worth a practice squad stash. There has been no announcement about a corresponding move to open a roster spot for ******* ins.
Rookie wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling and veteran cornerback Deommodore Lenoir have shoulder injuries. They're considered day-to-day and didn't practice on Saturday.
The three players who sustained injuries during Thursday's game, Renardo Green (hamstring), Austen Pleasants (knee), and Nick Martin (hamstring), were also not practicing.

#game

The San Francisco 49ers have been a battered squad, but received some good news that one of their key players is eyeing a return.
San Francisco's George Kittle has been optimistic about his return from an Achilles injury he suffered in the 49ers' wild card-round win over the Philadelphia Eagles, eyeing a potential return date of Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season; the Niners kick off their season in Melbourne, Australia to face NFC West rivals, the Los Angeles Rams.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that Kittle's recovery timeline is "ahead of schedule," further clarifying his Week 1 status.
"Kittle visited Wednesday in Los Angeles with renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who performed the surgery on his torn Achilles in January. It was said to be an encouraging visit," Schefter said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). "Kittle's recovery is ahead of schedule, and it gives him a legitimate chance to play in the regular season opener in Australia against the Los Angeles Rams."
The 32-year-old tight end is currently listed on the roster's physically unable to perform (PUP) list. Just a month ago, Kittle was seen deadlifting 665 pounds as he worked to return from a torn Achilles injury.

#achilles #angeles

The San Francisco 49ers entered their preseason matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers without a few key players who are battling injuries, and early on in the contest, they lost one of their starters.
In the first quarter against Los Angeles, cornerback Renardo Green suffered a hamstring injury on a deep ball that knocked him out of the contest. According to the team, Green is questionable to return. However, with this game being an exhibition battle, it's unlikely that the 49ers will push him back in the game.
When San Francisco's defense was back on the field, cornerback Jack Jones, who suffered a hand injury in the preseason opener, was in the game to replace Green. Luckily for San Francisco, Jones has had a stellar camp.
More 49ers: Steve Smith describes why the 2026 49ers' WR corps is unique for Kyle Shanahan
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers starting CB suffers injury in preseason battle vs. Chargers

#preseason

Why you should — and shouldn't — draft Christian McCaffrey in 2026 fantasy football originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
If you've been playing fantasy football long enough, chances are you've faced the dilemma of whether to draft Christian McCaffrey.
The latest tightness saga to come out of 49ers training camp has fantasy drafters feeling nervous about selecting the 30-year-old running back in the first round.
Though the Niners claim it's simply precautionary, the ghost of 2024 CMC still haunts us all.
Until McCaffrey retires from football, we'll be battling this decision in our heads every draft season. It's quite simple: when you draft CMC, you either get the best player in fantasy football or light your first-round pick on fire.

#Football

While it wasn't a storybook ending, it was still an "incredible summer" for the Tupelo 49ers.
For just the third time ever, Tupelo reached the American Legion World Series. They rolled into Shelby, North Carolina, on a hot streak and kept it going in pool play with a 3-0 mark. This had all the signs of a team that could win it all after coming up short in 2011 and 2021.
That dream ended Monday, when Portland (Ore.) beat the 49ers 3-1 in the semifinals. It was just Tupelo's second loss in its last 22 games.
"it was an incredible summer," fourth-year head coach Russell Bunch said. "These guys have really grown together, and it's been a real good experience for everybody. I'm just really proud for them. I hate it shook out like it did and we weren't able to win the whole thing."
There were a lot of memorable moments along the way, though. After winning the state tournament, the Niners left town Aug. 5 and stayed gone for nearly two weeks. They rolled through the Mid-South Regional, putting on one offensive show after another and batting .398 over five games. Regional MVP Jonas Coleman batted .667 with six RBIs over that span.

#summer #american

The Chargers hosted the 49ers for a joint practice on Tuesday, and if social media is any indicator, Los Angeles dominated their California neighbors from up north.
The Bolts were toying with the Niners for the most part, as evidenced by reports and videos out of El Segundo. Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert was dealing, as the offense was by far the best unit in the practices. Mike McDaniel's offense looked crisp and sharp with the starters.
Herbter's deep ball gave the San Francisco secondary fits all practice long.
The Chargers and 49ers went back and forth with each other, but Los Angeles got the best of them in many areas including the red zone. They had five total team periods, and four of the five team periods came in the red zone when Herbert and Ladd McConkey put up their best performance.
The Chargers defense also showed up and showed out, with rookie Genesis Smith making his mark.

#chargers #offense #zone #periods

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers star tight end George Kittle said he expects to come off the physically unable to perform list before the start of the season and remains hopeful that his surgically repaired Achilles tendon will be healthy enough for him to play in Week 1.
Kittle tore his right Achilles on Jan. 11 in a playoff win at Philadelphia and is hoping to be able to get back at practice in time to play Week 1 on Sept. 11 in Australia against the Los Angeles Rams.
"I have a chance," Kittle said Sunday. "We're running around a lot, hitting top speeds. Hopefully we're back in pads practicing sooner than later. Just trying to check the boxes and not be (dumb) is what I would say."
Kittle has made an impressive recovery over the past seven months and has been working out on the side at practice while he remains on the PUP list. Kittle said he expects to come off that list before rosters are cut to 53 players on Aug. 30 so he won't have to miss the first four games of the season.
The Niners are set to leave for Australia on Sept. 2 and Kittle said he wouldn't expect to make the long flight unless the team plans to play him against the Rams. The first step will be coming off the PUP list and practicing with his teammates.

#achilles #week #australia #Rams

The Tupelo 49ers started fast, then had to endure a lengthy weather delay, and ultimately held on to beat Lincoln (Neb.) 7-4 at the American Legion World Series on Saturday.
With the win, the Niners clinched the Stripes Division ******* le, which locks them into Monday's semifinals against the second-place team from the Stars Division.
Tupelo (26-5-1) scored four runs in the second inning and two in the third before a lightning delay halted play. Colin Flurry's two-run homer – his third dinger of the weekend – kickstarted Tupelo's second inning. Eli McDaniels then doubled the advantage with his two-run double to right field.
In the third, Brayden Edmiston scored on a fielding error, and Will Moody drove in Flurry for a 6-0 lead. In the bottom half of the inning, the game entered a weather delay, which lasted about 90 minutes.
Lincoln immediately threatened once play resumed, putting runners on first and second with one out. That ended Tupelo starter Cade Lott's day, but Braedyn Lackie induced a pair of flyouts to avoid damage. Lackie went 3 2/3 innings, allowing one run on three hits.

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