San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling will play his first regular-season NFL game nearly 7,900 miles from home when the team travels to Melbourne, Australia, to face the Los Angeles Rams on September 10.
"What an experience, going to Australia," Stribling told reporters on Tuesday. "I've never been there. Heard great things, so very excited to be there and play there in my first NFL game."
Stribling's plan for the long overseas flight involves getting plenty of sleep, watching some shows when he needs to stay awake, and then sleeping some more.
As for what he's looking forward to seeing during his time in Australia, the first-year receiver had a surprising answer.
"I kind of want to see a kangaroo, just because," he said. "You know, see how big they are. So, that's really it."
We can assume that Stribling also hopes to see his 49ers win their first game of the season against their rivals, the Rams.
De'Zhaun Stribling explains his number change
Unfortunately for any 49ers fans who may have purchased Stribling jerseys early, those jerseys are already out of date. The rookie enters the 2026 season wearing No. 7 instead of No. 15, which he wore throughout the offseason and preseason.
"I wore 7 back in high school," Stribling explained. "It was one of my favorite numbers at the time. I kind of just want to be comfortable in that and do my thing."
Stribling was also humorously asked about another 49ers receiver who recently wore No. 7. Well, technically, it was a 35-year-old man named Daejon Love, who was recently arrested after impersonating a 49ers receiver to allegedly scam at least 26 women out of $1.3 million across four states.
Love shared photos on social media in which he pretended to wear No. 7 for the team.
"Yeah, it's hilarious," Stribling said when asked if he received any texts about his number now matching the one Love pretended to wear. "That's kind of crazy, but it's pretty cool at the same time."
For Stribling, however, the focus is on what comes next. After making a strong impression during training camp and the preseason, the rookie is preparing for his first regular-season opportunity—and an unforgettable NFL debut in Australia.
Mentioned in this article: De'Zhaun Stribling
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