Sean McVay Expresses Disdain for Playing in Australia Again

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay expressed a strong desire to avoid returning to Australia for future games, following the team's significant loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

"We're not playing in Australia ever again, I hope," McVay stated, acknowledging that his comment might be taken out of context. "Not because it wasn’t a great atmosphere, that’ll get taken out of context." He added, with a touch of humor, that he wished for a 'Men in Black'-style memory wipe to forget the game. "That game is so far. … It’s almost like you try to do the ‘Men in Black’ thing where you say, ‘Hey, I don’t remember what happened. That was so long ago.’"

The Rams suffered a 27-7 defeat in Melbourne during their Week 1 matchup. Despite the coach's sentiments, Australia is part of the Rams' international marketing territory, which may present a complication for the franchise's long-term plans.

While McVay focused on preparation and concentration for the upcoming game against the New York Giants, his players offered a different perspective on the travel and its impact. Quarterback Matthew Stafford indicated he felt ready to play despite the long journey. "Not too bad, not too bad," Stafford said. "Obviously, the travel was what it was. But no, I feel ready to rock and roll."

Wide receiver Davante Adams dismissed the idea that the travel was a primary reason for the loss. "We can sit here and try to make excuses and say it’s because of the flight all we want. But at the end of the day, I didn’t feel tired. I didn’t feel crazy fatigued in the game and I felt good enough to go out there and put what we’ve typically put on tape," Adams commented. "We can make excuses all we want, but they played better than we did and that’s what I attribute that to more than the flight."

The Rams are now focused on their next challenge at SoFi Stadium, with their coach hoping for shorter travel distances for future international games.