TAMPA, Fla. ― The Bucs are working with the NFL on contingency plans to move Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs and/or practice in another city should Hurricane Ian make landfall near Tampa Bay, coach Todd Bowles said Monday.
“Right now we’re still monitoring things, but we’re working things out with the league and we should have a decision hopefully later on (Monday) about what we’re going to do,” Bowles said.
Bowles was asked if the league has discussed the possibility of moving the Bucs’ home game to another city.
“Possibly, if it gets to that,” he said.
At minimum, the Bucs may not be able to practice at AdventHealth Training Center Wednesday and Thursday in preparation for the game. To that end, Bowles said the team is discussing moving their workouts to another venue.
“We’re still talking about that now,” he said.
This isn’t the first time the Bucs have had to confront hurricane preparations.
In 2017, the NFL cancelled the season opener against the Miami Dolphins because of Irma. The game was moved to the teams’ shared bye week, meaning both had to play 16 straight games.
The Bucs made plans to practice at the University of Minnesota in case they were unable to return home, since they visited the Vikings in Week 3.
The team chartered a flight for players and their families to Charlotte, North Carolina, to ride out the storm. Some opted to travel north to Georgia and Alabama but had difficulties returning to Tampa due to a gasoline shortage.
But Irma came ashore south of the Tampa Bay area, and the Bucs hosted the Chicago Bears in Week 2 as planned.
In 2004, the Bucs were holding training camp at Disney’s Wide World of Sports in Lake Buena Vista as Hurricane Charley moved up the Gulf Coast.
The team postponed practice to allow time for players to secure their homes and families. Many of them relocated to the Celebration Hotel, where the team was staying during training camp.
But Charley made landfall near Punta Gorda and then passed through the central and eastern parts of the Orlando metropolitan area, including the city of Celebration.
Raymond James Stadium will be used by emergency services for personnel and equipment staging during the hurricane and not utilized as a public shelter, a spokesperson for the Tampa Sports Authority said.
