Outside linebacker Byron Young and the Los Angeles Rams got wheels up for their Week 1 showdown against the San Francisco 49ers in Australia, and the 2025 Pro Bowler shared an inside look at their accommodations for the roughly 16-hour flight.
“I feel so bougie right now,” Young said in a video on his Instagram story on September 8, showing the inside of the Rams’ plane. “Full-size–this is crazy. Two-floor, double-decker. I feel so bougie.”
The video was nearing two million views at the last check.
“The Rams drew plenty of attention as they departed for their Week 1 matchup against their NFC West rivals. The two teams will lead the NFL in miles traveled this season as a result of this trip, which adds about 8,000 miles to their tally each way, per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner on September 9.
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“Wheels up. #Rams depart #LAX (Tuesday 10:10p),” NBC Bay Area’s Raj Mathai reported on X on September 8. “15 hour flight to #Melbourne. @RamsNFL will arrive Thursday early morning and play #49ers Friday morning (#Australia time).”
Other videos of Young and the Rams’ plane on the runway also surfaced on social media.
“Melbourne… you’re in for a treat [smirking face and football emojis],” the Rams posted on X on September 9, including a hype video.
“The Rams are taking a Qantas Airbus A380 from Los Angeles to Melbourne,” social media personality and entrepreneur Joe Pompilano posted on X, quoting Mathai’s post. “That is the largest and most expensive commercial passenger airliner ever built and there are enough lie-flat seats for every player and some coaches.
“But those airplanes also don’t have wifi, which doesn’t sound ideal for 34 hours of flight time in 2-3 days.”
Eric Mangini Talks ‘Interesting’ Situation for Rams & 49ers
Former NFL head coach Eric Mangini, now a contributor for Fox Sports 1, discussed the disparity in the approach Young’s Rams are taking and that of the 49ers.
Mangini lived and coached in Australia, and he has family that lives there.
“This is going to be such an interesting study for, especially, sleep experts. Because we’ve got two pro teams with radically different approaches. And I get where the Rams are coming from,” Mangini said on “First Things First” on September 8, referencing the Rams’ trip to London to face the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 7 last season.
“But the difference there is … they had gone to the East Coast to play Baltimore. They stayed on the East Coast. So, they’d already gotten through that level of time change, and then went over to London, which is radically different than flying to Melbourne.”
Mangini noted the Rams’ medical team’s confidence in their rest plan, but argued that there is “a transition when you take that flight,” as LA had staffers do this offseason.
As for the “full-size” beds Young was referring to, Mangini doubted those too.
“Those are big guys,” Mangini said of the team. “Those lay-down beds are for normal human beings, not for the human beings that populate a pro football team. And then, even playing a game at 10:30 in the morning is really different for NFL teams as well.”
Judging from Young’s post, the Rams have successfully overcome those concerns, or are at least making the best of a bad situation.
Rams Send Message After Viral Update on Trip to Australia for 49ers Showdown