Report: Jed York Traveled to Australia but Skipped 49ers Opener

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports the San Francisco owner was in Australia for Week 1, avoided the game, and will also sit out the home opener as the league weighs discipline.

San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York made the trip to Australia for the team's Week 1 game against the Rams but did not go to the game itself, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Schefter also reported that York will be absent from Sunday's home opener against the Dolphins in San Francisco. Per Schefter's sources, York is keeping his distance from the club to avoid being a distraction while the NFL decides on possible discipline, with a ruling described as coming soon.

York was arrested in an Ohio prostitution sting nearly a month ago and pleaded no contest the following day to two misdemeanor charges. Front Office Sports reported Sunday that the league is still weighing punishment, which could arrive soon if it comes at all.

The Australia detail drew skepticism from Bay Area media. Tim Kawakami of the San Francisco Standard wrote that when he asked multiple 49ers personnel about the report, every one said York was never spotted in Australia. Speaking on his podcast with The Athletic's Matt Barrows, Kawakami called the situation odd whether or not the report is accurate. Barrows said he neither saw York in Melbourne nor heard that he was there.

Kawakami has noted that York regularly communicates with national NFL reporters such as Schefter, raising the possibility that Schefter learned of York's whereabouts directly from the owner himself. Multiple outlets have reported York has spent much of the summer in Ohio near Youngstown amid divorce proceedings, while general manager John Lynch has said leadership has held Zoom meetings with York to prepare for any potential punishment.