The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are looking to make the most of an extended road trip, which is by no means typical for an NFL team.
The Bucks arrived in New Orleans on Tuesday after being forced out of Florida ahead of Hurricane Milton’s landfall. That’s five days before Sunday’s game against the NFC South rival Saints.
They practiced at Tulane Stadium on Wednesday, trying to replicate as much as possible the normal schedule they would play in Tampa.
But instead of driving home from the team’s usual training facility, the players and coaches then took buses back to their hotel rooms, which they shared with family and pets.
“The most important thing right now is family. … If we can get our families out and keep them safe, we can replace everything else,” coach Todd Bowles said.
“What we do in football is just a part of the game of life, and we understand how hurricanes affect people. … Everyone’s here, their families are here. It will be much easier.”
The Glazer family, which owns Bucks, chartered two planes for the traveling party of about 350 people and 31 pets. This isn’t the first time a team has left the Tampa Bay area to avoid inclement weather.
Two years ago, the team relocated to South Florida to escape Hurricane Ian and practiced at the Miami Dolphins’ training facility while preparing for a home game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
When Tampa Bay’s 2017 season opener against the Dolphins was postponed due to Hurricane Irma, the team booked several planes ahead of the storm to bring players, coaches, staff and families to Charlotte, North Carolina.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield said it was “big time” for the organization to put safety first, something that was greatly appreciated by the players.
Star receiver Mike Evans, who is in his 11th season, grew up in Galveston, Texas, and is no stranger to the dangers of hurricanes.
“I just want everyone to be safe at the end of the day,” Evans said.
“We obviously have a job to do, so we’re going to do it. The game is still on,” added the team’s career receiving and scoring leader. “The hardest thing is just making sure everyone’s in good shape and just praying and hoping for the best.”
Bowles said lessons learned from his 2022 trip to the Miami area came in handy this week.
The team considered rescheduling to Houston, but ultimately decided it would be better to arrive in New Orleans early to avoid having to take another flight later in the week.
“This time it was easier to evacuate,” Bowles said, noting that the last time the Bucks relocated, some players drove to South Florida and others flew.
There was also the challenge of balancing families staying in the same hotel and ensuring players had enough time to spend with their families while maintaining their normal practice routines.
“Learning from that, we’re a little more organized about when we meet, when our family eats, and how we eat,” Bowles said. “So this time it’s a little bit more, I don’t want to say easy, but a little bit more structured.”
Milton is expected to make landfall on Florida’s west coast late Wednesday. The Bucks currently plan to return to Florida after Sunday’s game, but Bowles acknowledged the team has discussed contingency plans that could keep players and their families away for longer.
“We’re thinking about it. We hope we don’t have to do that,” Bowles said. “We’ll see what happens over the next few days and adjust accordingly.”
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Fred Goodall, Associated Press
