According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Cooks is signing with the 49ers’ practice squad, initially to get up to speed for games. The agreement comes less than two weeks after the 49ers handed the Rams a 27-7 loss in the season opener in Melbourne, Australia.

For Rams fans, the name comes with memories. Cooks was once the field-stretching piece in one of the most productive Los Angeles offenses under Sean McVay. Without a doubt, it could prove to be a great move on a contract of lower value than what Tyreek Hill would have commanded.

Cooks’ stint with the Rams

The Rams acquired Cooks from the New England Patriots in 2018, adding a receiver who could threaten defenses downfield alongside Robert Woods. He rewarded that decision with 80 catches for a career-high 1,204 yards and five touchdowns in his first season with Los Angeles.

Los Angeles went on to reach the Super Bowl, with Cooks playing a prominent role in the passing game that helped carry them there. His Rams stint was brief, but that first NFL season left a clear mark, as he made an already dangerous offense harder to defend across the full width and length of the field. The numbers fell in 2019.

The Rams traded him to the Houston Texans in April 2020 after Cooks had totaled 122 catches, 1,787 yards, and seven touchdowns over his two Rams seasons. That made his second-year line 42 catches for 583 yards and two scores. The Rams ended up sending a 2022 fourth-round pick to Houston and received a second-round selection in the deal.

Why are the 49ers pursuing Cooks?

The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Demarcus Robinson sustained a high ankle sprain in the 49ers‘ Week 2 win over the Miami Dolphins. Robinson had taken on a larger role after injuries to Ricky Pearsall and De’Zhaun Stribling. Mike Evans also left the Miami game with a hip issue, although coach Kyle Shanahan said he could have returned if the game had been closer.

That leaves an opening for an experienced receiver to learn the offense and potentially help Brock Purdy later. That is where the interest and agreement with Cooks come in, as he can serve as Demarcus Robinson’s replacement in hopes that he reclaims the form seen during that stellar year with the Rams.

“I was thinking about this, they’re gonna have to bring someone in,” Shasky said. “It’s probably too early for trades, though I do believe there are some trades that are gonna go down … Let me give you some of the free agents the Niners could sign this week given the Demarcus Robinson injury. Tyreek Hill? No, they’re not gonna do it. This team’s not bringing him in. I’m just gonna tell everyone right now: the Chiefs will, [the Niners] won’t.”

Hill’s history with Chiefs Kingdom could bring him back to Andy Reid’s team, although he would need to be at 100% physically to reach an agreement. For now, it appears that Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers will not have Cheetah’s services.

Hill looks to get back to full strength

Tyreek Hill is working his way back from a horrific left knee injury—including a knee dislocation and multiple torn ligaments like his ACL—suffered last September while still with the Dolphins. After undergoing two surgeries, being released by Miami in February, and navigating a long rehab process where doctors initially worried he might never run the same, the 32-year-old speedster is currently unsigned.

While Hill recently admitted he’s still rebuilding power in that left leg, his agent Drew Rosenhaus noted that medical staff are eyeing a potential return to action around October—meaning once he gets full medical clearance, a contending team will likely scoop him up mid-season for a playoff push.

Hill’s time with the Chiefs

Tyreek Hill’s six-year run with Kansas City from 2016 to 2021 was nothing short of electric, establishing him as the ultimate big-play threat in Andy Reid’s offense. Over 91 regular-season games in KC, Cheetah caught 479 passes for 6,630 receiving yards and 56 receiving TDs, while adding another 712 rushing yards and 6 TDs on the ground.

He made the Pro Bowl in all six of his seasons with the Chiefs, earned three First-Team All-Pro selections, and played a massive role in reaching back-to-back Super Bowls—including bringing home the ring in Super Bowl LIV. He truly transformed the way defenses had to cover Kansas City before being traded to Miami in 2022.

Key takeaways

• Free agent wide receiver Tyreek Hill is reportedly expected to sign with Kansas City rather than San Francisco.
• A target return window around October remains set following two knee surgeries.
• During six seasons with KC, he recorded 479 receptions for 6,630 receiving yards.

It’s not that McCaffrey will enter a committee by any means. According to Shanahan, and reported by Nick Wagoner of ESPN, McCaffrey was dealing with some cramps throughout the game.

Hence, at the prospect of injury, Shanahan opted to give calculated snaps to CMC, and let Kaelon Black flourish. By the way, it worked, as Black was productive against the Rams. All in all, McCaffrey is fine and should be ready to roll for Week 2.

McCaffrey was still very effective

While dealing with cramps, CMC was still borderline unstoppable. He had 88 all-purpose yards thanks to 10 carries for 68 rushing yards and five receptions for 20 receiving yards.

Facing one of the top teams in the NFL, McCaffrey averaged 6.8 yards per carry, which is an incredible feat. That boosted the Niners to get a very important win against a very tough divisional opponent.

The 49ers’ priority is to stay as healthy as possible

After the game against the Rams, tight end Jake Tonges and wideout De’Zhaun Stribling are already sidelined. Hence, the 49ers were correct in limiting McCaffrey‘s snaps to avoid any further issues with their most important player.

Nick, Joe and Kevin Jonas took the stage at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and social media wasted little time reacting to the unexpected crossover between football and pop music. The band performed iconic classics.

From nostalgic reactions to jokes about seeing the brothers at an NFL game, social media produced plenty of memorable moments around the performance. Memes and reactions quickly turned the halftime show into a storyline of its own.

How did NFL fans react to the Jonas Brothers’ halftime show?

From dancers to sound engineers and lighting crews, plenty of people were involved in bringing the performance to life. The scale of the production reflected the importance of the first regular-season NFL game played in Australia.

With the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams facing off at the MCG, the halftime appearance became one of the event’s biggest attractions. But just how many people were actually involved in putting the show together?

How big was the production behind the Jonas Brothers’ NFL halftime show?

The scale of the event required a large team working behind the scenes to put the performance together in a matter of minutes. The NFL had more than 200 staff members working in Melbourne for the overall game operation, which included broadcasting, logistics, stadium preparation and the entertainment surrounding the historic matchup between the Rams and 49ers.

The Jonas Brothers themselves were the only officially announced headline performers for halftime, with them taking the stage. The NFL has not released a breakdown showing exactly how many dancers, musicians, technicians or stagehands were assigned to their performance, meaning any specific number for the halftime crew would be an estimate rather than an official figure.

The scale of the wider NFL production gives some perspective on how demanding the event was behind the scenes. Roughly 59 tons of equipment and supplies were transported to Australia for the game and its surrounding operations.

Nick, Joe and Kevin Jonas performed as the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers met in Australia. For a group with a catalog built over nearly two decades, choosing the songs for a halftime show was always going to be a challenge.

Their set needed to fit the occasion while also giving fans a taste of the tracks that have defined the Jonas Brothers’ career. So, which songs did they perform during the Rams vs. 49ers halftime show?

Jonas Brothers’ NFL halftime show setlist

The Jonas Brothers brought their biggest songs. Nick, Joe and Kevin Jonas took over the field at halftime, delivering a fast-paced set built around some of the group’s most recognizable hits…

The performance gave fans in Australia a chance to hear songs spanning different stages of their career. From the tracks that established the trio as one of pop’s biggest acts to more recent favorites, the setlist reflected the wide range of music they have released since their breakthrough.

With the halftime show now in the books, the full list of songs performed by the Jonas Brothers is available below, including the tracks that stood out during their historic NFL appearance in Melbourne:

• Burnin’ Up
• Sucker
• Listen When Sad
• When You Look Me in the Eyes
• You’re the Voice of John Farnham
• Year 3000

Entering Week 1’s showdown in Melbourne, Australia, the 49ers had seven injured players on offense. That number is now up to nine following Stribling and Tonges’ setbacks against the Rams. San Francisco has seven players injured on defense, too.

San Francisco and untimely injuries have become synonymous in the NFL in recent years. Playing as far away as possible from Levi’s Stadium—and the electrical substation buzz and conspiracy theory—the 49ers can’t escape their old fate. No other team has an injured group as large as the 49ers who are missing a total of 16 players in their 53-man roster.

Full list of San Francisco’s injured players

The full list of injured players on offense features: RB Isaac Guerendo (pectoral), WR Ricky Pearsall (out for the season after knee surgery), WR De’Zhaun Stribling (ankle), WR Christian Kirk (calf), WR Brandon Aiyuk (knee), TE Jack Tonges (knee), LT Austen Pleasants (knee), LG Nick Zakelj (undisclosed), and C Brett Toth (concussion).

Kyle Shanahan’s team isn’t much better on defense, either. Injured players are: DE Sam Okuayinonu (foot), DE Mikail Kamara (torn ACL, out for the season), DT Alfred Collins (knee), DE Mykel Williams (recovering from torn ACL and meniscus), LB Nick Martin (hamstring), FS Darrick Foster (undisclosed), and CB Nate Hobbs (groin).

Rough debut

Suffering injuries in the first half of the NFL’s international game in Australia, neither Stribling nor Tonges recorded any catches during Week 1 against Los Angeles.

For Stribling, it was his career debut, whereas Tonges was hoping to get off to a hot start after his promising 2025 season, when he filled in for George Kittle after Kittle suffered a season-ending Achilles tear.

In the Land Down Under, it was a harsh season opener for the Niners in the medical department. Given how recent seasons have gone, though, it’s only par for the course.

Nick, Joe and Kevin Jonas entered the spotlight with a catalog packed with hits spanning their career, leaving fans wondering which song would open their set. Before the performance, “Sucker” and other major tracks had emerged as potential candidates for the first song, but the actual setlist remained a mystery.

So, what was the first song the brothers played at halftime of Rams vs. 49ers in Australia? The answer revealed how the group chose to kick off its performance during one of the most unusual and memorable NFL games in recent history.

What was the first song the Jonas Brothers played at halftime?

The Jonas Brothers opened their halftime performance with “Burnin’ Up”, their 2019 comeback hit and one of the biggest songs of their career. While the official setlist was not announced beforehand, it was the clear favorite in the betting market.

The choice would have made sense for a performance built around recognizable hits. “Burnin’ Up” became their No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100. It also gave them a modern, instantly recognizable opening track.

The Melbourne show was particularly significant for the group because it was their first NFL halftime performance and came during the league’s first regular-season game in Australia.

The Jonas Brothers headlined the entertainment at the Melbourne Cricket Ground as the San Francisco 49ers faced the Los Angeles Rams, with the performance broadcast internationally alongside the game.

She has also played a prominent role in Australian sport, including previous ceremonies at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Her connection to major sporting events has made her a familiar figure in Melbourne.

That background gives her appearance ahead of the Los Angeles Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers matchup an added layer of meaning. The game is the NFL’s first regular-season contest in Australia.

Who is Joy Murphy Wandin?

Joy Murphy Wandin is a Senior Wurundjeri Elder of the Kulin Nation and a prominent Indigenous community leader in Victoria, Australia.

She has spent decades working in Aboriginal affairs, reconciliation, social justice, education and cultural preservation, while becoming one of the most recognizable voices associated with Wurundjeri cultural welcomes in Melbourne.

The National Gallery of Victoria describes her as an Elder who has demonstrated significant community leadership throughout her life and has held executive policy and community-development roles across levels of government.

She is also an author and storyteller. Her book Welcome to Country, illustrated by Lisa Kennedy, introduces readers to Wurundjeri traditions and the meaning behind the ceremony she has performed at countless public events.

She has also received major recognition for her work, including induction into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women and appointment as an Officer of the Order of Australia for her service to the community and contributions to social justice, land rights, equal opportunity, art and reconciliation.

What is a welcome to country ceremony?

A Welcome to Country is an Aboriginal ceremony in which a Traditional Owner or Elder welcomes visitors onto their Country. The tradition is particularly significant in Australia because Aboriginal communities have distinct traditional territories, and entering another community’s Country historically involved receiving permission from its custodians.

Today, the ceremony remains an important way of recognizing Traditional Owners and connecting major public events with the history and culture of the land where they take place.

The format can vary depending on the community and the event. A Welcome to Country may involve spoken words in an Indigenous language, storytelling, song, dance or a Smoking Ceremony.

In Wurundjeri contexts, she has used the Woiwurrung language to welcome visitors to the land of the Wurundjeri people, helping bring an element of local culture to events attended by large Australian and international audiences.

A Welcome to Country is performed by a Traditional Owner or representative of the Traditional Owners, while an Acknowledgement of Country can be delivered by anyone as a way of recognizing the Traditional Owners of the land.

Her role is therefore more than a ceremonial introduction: it places Wurundjeri history and culture at the beginning of an event taking place on their traditional Country.

What was Joy Murphy Wandin’s role before Rams vs. 49ers?

Joy Murphy Wandin’s role before Rams vs. 49ers was to provide a Welcome to Country, bringing a Wurundjeri cultural welcome to the NFL’s historic arrival in Melbourne.

The matchup between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers is the NFL’s first-ever regular-season game in Australia, making the pregame ceremony an important part of the event beyond the football itself.

The NFL confirmed that the game would take place at the MCG on September 11, 2026, as part of its international expansion. Her participation also fits a role she has carried out repeatedly at the MCG.

Head coach Sean McVay confirmed that Donald will remain in Los Angeles rather than make the long trip to Melbourne for the historic season opener. The decision comes after Donald spent an extended period away from football, with his last NFL appearance coming during the 2023 season before he retired following the Rams’ playoff loss in January 2024.

The circumstances surrounding this game also made caution particularly important. The Rams had to travel roughly 8,000 miles to Australia for their matchup with San Francisco, while the team is trying to balance the international trip with its preparation for Week 2. Rather than force Donald into his first game back under those conditions, Los Angeles opted to give its defensive star more time to prepare at home.

When will Aaron Donald play for Rams?

For now, there is no official date for Aaron Donald’s return, but Week 2 against the New York Giants could provide a much more realistic opportunity for his long-awaited comeback. The Rams will return to the United States after their Australia trip, potentially giving Donald additional time to build his conditioning and get comfortable playing football again after more than two years away from the NFL.

McVay’s decision is ultimately about taking the long view with one of the most important defensive players in franchise history. Donald officially announced his return on August 30 after initially retiring following the 2023 season, and although he has been working toward getting back into football shape, the Rams do not want one game — especially one requiring a massive international journey — to dictate the pace of his comeback.

That means Rams fans will have to wait at least one more game to potentially see Donald alongside Myles Garrett, creating one of the most anticipated defensive tandems in the NFL. If his preparation continues to progress, Week 2 against the Giants could become the stage for Donald’s return, but Los Angeles has made clear that getting him back healthy and ready matters more than forcing him onto the field in Melbourne.

Bosa’s return is one of the biggest storylines for the 49ers as they begin their 2026 Super Bowl quest against the Rams in Melbourne, Australia. His last game came in Week 3 of the 2025 season, when he suffered the ACL injury against the Arizona Cardinals, ending his season and forcing San Francisco to wait months for one of its most important defensive stars to return.

There were some additional concerns during training camp when Bosa dealt with soreness and tendinitis in his knee and patellar tendon. He missed more than a month of practice before eventually returning to the field, creating questions about whether the 49ers would be willing to put him into action immediately. Those concerns have now been put aside, with San Francisco officially leaving him without a game designation.

Is Nick Bosa playing today for 49ers vs Rams?

Yes, Nick Bosa is playing today for the 49ers against the Rams. San Francisco’s final injury report lists Bosa without a game designation despite his knee being monitored throughout the week, meaning he is expected to be active for the season opener. Bosa was limited during all three practices in Melbourne, but the team ultimately determined that he was ready to return to NFL action.

Bosa’s return gives the 49ers a massive boost against a Rams offense featuring Matthew Stafford, Davante Adams and Puka Nacua. San Francisco struggled to generate consistent pressure last season, and getting its premier pass rusher back could dramatically change the identity of Raheem Morris’ defense.

The biggest question now may be how the 49ers manage Bosa’s workload in his first game back. Although he is officially cleared, San Francisco knows he is returning from a serious ACL injury and also dealt with patellar tendon soreness and tendinitis during his comeback. Still, the message from Bosa and the 49ers is clear: after nearly a year away, the defensive superstar is finally ready to take the field again against the Rams in Australia.