NFL 2026: How San Francisco 49ers reporter Grant Cohn became a viral sensation in Australia, AFL commentary

Grant Cohn, a San Francisco 49ers reporter for Sports Illustrated with a YouTube channel exceeding 220,000 subscribers, has become a viral sensation in Australia after arriving last Friday. The article traces his prior run-ins with 49ers players, including an incident in 2022 when defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw knocked off his hat during OTAs, and later disputes involving Arik Armstead and Kyle Juszczyk. In Australia, Cohn said he realized he was “the novelty” as Australian radio and TV requests surged. He appeared on 9News Melbourne, tried meat pies and Vegemite, and captured footage of magpies. His interest turned into AFL traction when he live-tweeted his reaction to Geelong’s win over Carlton, then followed Sydney’s surprise upset over Brisbane and commented on players such as Tom Papley, Lachie Neale, and Marcus Bontempelli.