NFL Says Status of Bucs-Chiefs Uncertain As Hurricane Ian Approaches

A contingency site has been selected if the game must be moved due to the Category 4 hurricane.

Parts of the United States are facing uncertainty as Hurricane Ian rapidly approaches. As some communities evacuate to safer parts of the country, sports leagues have to make last-minute calls on how to handle the weekend slate of games. 

NFL EVP Jeff Miller gave a status update on the location of the Buccaneers vs. Chiefs game that was slated as a home game for Tampa Bay on Sunday night. In short, things are still up in the air, but the priority will be on Florida communities impacted by the natural disaster. 

“Until we know more about the storm, it’s gonna be difficult to make that decision,” Miller said, per The MMQB’s Albert Breer. 

Currently, the Bucs have relocated their operations to Miami for the week, and if the hurricane does impact the game this weekend, there were reports that it would not take place in Miami even though the Dolphins are playing at Cincinnati on Thursday. The NFL said, per Sports Business Journal’s Ben Fischer, that U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis will be the contingency site. 

There currently is no change in the game location, but this could change with the storm. Miller said it is, “Literally a minute-by-minute, hour by hour consideration.”

Hurricane Ian’s eye wall is moving onshore in Florida with catastrophic storm surge. The storm is currently a Category 4 hurricane with maximum wind speeds hitting 155 mph, dangerously close to Category 5 strength, according to the National Hurricane Center’s latest update. 

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