The NFL preseason has officially wrapped up. The cut deadline hit at 6pm ET on Sunday 30 August, with all 32 teams reducing their rosters to 53 players — approximately 1,180 releases league-wide. For Australian fans, the biggest news is now the countdown: the San Francisco 49ers fly to Melbourne this Wednesday for the historic MCG game against the Los Angeles Rams on Friday 11 September AEST. The season opener between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots is on Thursday 10 September AEST. Football is genuinely back. Here’s the state of the NFL for the week ending 30 August 2026.
The MCG countdown — 49ers fly Wednesday
Genuinely historic news for Australian sport. The San Francisco 49ers will fly to Melbourne this Wednesday 3 September for the first regular-season NFL game ever played in Australia. The 49ers vs Rams on Friday 11 September AEST at the Melbourne Cricket Ground is now less than two weeks away.
The 49ers benefited from an unusual scheduling accommodation: the NFL moved the league-wide roster cut deadline to Sunday specifically to allow San Francisco time to finalise their roster before international travel. It’s a small but important signal of how much the NFL is treating this game as a milestone moment.
49ers preparation status heading into Melbourne
- George Kittle — activated off PUP list, expected to be game-ready for the MCG
- Christian McCaffrey — back at practice from calf tightness
- Ricky Pearsall — out for the season (season-ending PCL surgery)
- Deebo Samuel Sr. — signed as veteran WR replacement, integrating into offense
- Deion Jones — acquired from Saints for defensive depth
- Kyle Shanahan — expected recovered from concussion protocol for Week 1
Cut deadline — approximately 1,180 releases league-wide
Sunday’s 6pm ET roster cut deadline was one of the busiest moments of the NFL year. Every team went from 90 players down to 53. Approximately 1,180 players were released league-wide.
Key cut storylines:
- JJ McCarthy (Vikings) — the 2024 first-round pick endured a rough preseason and was reportedly at genuine risk of being cut, though as a first-round pick he was likely retained
- Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants) — at age 33 attempting an NFL comeback, his cut status was uncertain
- Most releases are role players who often re-sign to practice squads within 48 hours
- Waivers process runs Monday — young players (fewer than four accrued seasons) hit the waiver wire
The Chicago Bears / Tennessee Titans crunch
Both teams played their final preseason games on Saturday evening — meaning both had less than 24 hours to make their final roster cuts before the Sunday deadline. It’s the kind of scheduling pressure that leads to genuinely tough personnel decisions being made on the fly.
Countdown to opening night
| Date (AEST) | Event |
|---|---|
| Wed 3 September | 49ers fly to Melbourne |
| Late this week | Practice squad signings finalise (10 per team) |
| Thu 10 September | NFL season opener: Seahawks vs Patriots on Channel 7 |
| Fri 11 September | 49ers vs Rams at the MCG — Channel 7 from 9:00am AEST |
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Subscribe free →What’s next?
- Live US Sports TV Guide
- How to Watch NFL in Australia 2026 — updated with Seven Network coverage
- Previous NFL Wrap — 24 August 2026
All information accurate as of Sunday 30 August 2026 US time. All times AEST. Roster cut news develops rapidly — ESPN and NFL.com track continuously. Mac Johannson covers US sports for Australian fans.
