# Sean McVay owns up to Australia travel disaster

> The Rams coach admits his last-minute travel plans for the Australia game were a costly mistake after a humbling loss to the 49ers.
- Title: Sean McVay owns up to Australia travel disaster · CBS Sports
- Summary: The Rams coach admits his last-minute travel plans for the Australia game were a costly mistake after a humbling loss to the 49ers. McVay's decision to…
- Keywords: sean mcvay, los angeles rams, san francisco 49ers, matthew stafford, davante adams, aaron donald, new york giants, nfl, week 1, week 2, australia game, travel schedule
- Source: CBS Sports — https://cbssports.com/nfl/news/sean-mcvay-rams-week-1-australia-travel-plans
- Published: 2026-09-22T13:29:02+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: sean mcvay, los angeles rams, san francisco 49ers, matthew stafford, davante adams, aaron donald, new york giants, nfl, week 1, week 2, australia game, travel schedule
## McVay's risky Australia arrival
The Rams coach arrived in Australia just 28 hours before kickoff against the 49ers, a decision that backfired spectacularly in a 27-7 loss.
## McVay admits he was a dumbass
After the Rams beat the Giants on Monday night, McVay humorously took full accountability for the travel blunder that left his team exhausted.

> Sometimes you have a dumbass coach that makes travel plans that puts you in bad spot.
## Energy drain from the travel
ESPN broadcasters reported McVay told them his team had no energy during the 49ers loss, a direct result of the compressed travel schedule to Australia.
## McVay's initial deflection
Immediately after the loss, McVay was reluctant to blame travel, instead crediting the 49ers' strong play and promising to look inward for improvements.

> I don't believe that's why we didn't play well enough.
## Rams bounce back against Giants
Los Angeles dominated the Giants 28-6 with Matthew Stafford throwing four touchdowns, Davante Adams catching 195 yards and two scores, and Aaron Donald returning after nearly three years.
## Adams demands higher standards
Despite the win, receiver Davante Adams said the team needs to hold itself to a higher standard if it wants to be a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

> You got to hold yourself to a high standard.
## Key takeaway

McVay's decision to arrive just 28 hours before the Australia game hurt the Rams' preparation and performance, a lesson he acknowledged after bouncing back against the Giants.