SANTA CLARA, California. After moving their entire football operation to Arizona for what was initially expected to be just a three-week stay, the San Francisco 49ers will end the 2020 regular season in the desert.
A team spokesman said the decision was made to remain in the Phoenix area until the end of the NFL season after Santa Clara County announced it would extend its COVID-19 restrictions, including the ban. of contact sports, at least until January 8th.
The 49ers, who were already scheduled to stay during the Dec. 26 game against the Arizona Cardinals, will also host the Seattle Seahawks in Glendale, Arizona on Jan. 3.
By the end of the season, the Niners will have played three “home” games and one road game at State Farm Stadium during the final month of the season.
The extension of the protocols to Santa Clara County was something the Niners expected when they moved, which is why coach Kyle Shanahan told his team that he and the Niners operations staff would do their best to trying to get players ’loved ones down in Arizona for Christmas Week.
According to 49ers general manager John Lynch, this process is already underway. Lynch told KNBR radio in San Francisco on Thursday that many of these loved ones have already arrived or will be heading south this weekend. This will allow them to test for COVID-19 and, when the Niners return from Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys, they will be able to see their families.
“Everyone will test when we leave so we can see them when we get back,” Lynch told KNBR. “That will be a big boost for the boys.”
The 49ers moved to Arizona on Dec. 2 after the initial announcement of improved Santa Clara County guidelines on Nov. 28. Since then they have lost games “at home” to the Buffalo Bills and the Washington Football Team to go down to 5-8 and have seen their postseason hopes dwindle.