During coach Kyle Shanahan’s first six seasons with the 49ers, the club had back-to-back road games that prompted them to conduct practice weeks in Ohio, Florida and three times in West Virginia.
When the NFL released its schedule in May, the 49ers learned their most difficult back-to-back were Weeks 6 and 7.
The 49ers played Sunday on the road against the Cleveland Browns. They return to action next Monday night against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium.
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The organization decided months ago to return home following their game in Cleveland and prepare for the Vikings on their normal routine at the team’s practice facility in Santa Clara.
“Since we had the extra day, it didn’t bother us as much,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said. “We’re coming back here, and we have an eight-day week, which is really unusual in this league. So we didn’t feel we needed to do it.”
The 49ers landed in San Jose at 8:30 p.m. PT on Sunday after their 19-17 loss to the Browns.
The early arrival time back home allowed players and coaches to get a normal night of sleep despite the 4 1/2-hour flight.
San Francisco 49ers
Because of the upcoming Monday game, the 49ers will travel one day later. The team and traveling party is scheduled to arrive in Minneapolis on Saturday evening.
Shanahan said he is thinking ahead, too.
After the Cleveland-Minnesota games, the 49ers will be challenged with a short week leading up to their game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Oct. 29 at Levi’s Stadium.
“We also know how miserable next week is going to be when we have a six-day week and coming back (from Minnesota) and landing at 5 a.m. on that six-day week,” Shanahan said.
“I wanted guys to be in their own homes this week because we know what it’s going to be like over the next 14 days or so.”