While it might seem odd to hear of people fleeing to New Orleans to avoid a hurricane, that’s exactly what the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have done.
As Hurricane Milton, a powerful Category 3 storm, makes landfall just south of Tampa, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their families will rest easy in the home city of one of their division rivals, New Orleans.
“I think, overall, everything went smoothly,” coach Todd Bowles said after the team’s Wednesday practice at Tulane University. “We got the team out. We got their families out. We got their pets out and everything else. You know, family is the most important thing right now. You can replace material things, and you want everybody to be OK and you hope everybody evacuated if not hunkered down safely.”
Moving an entire team, the rest of the organization, and their families is not a small operation. Two charter planes were needed for the move, and Pro Football Talk reports that more than 200 hotel rooms have been secured for the organization.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield stressed the need for their homes and the people left behind in Florida.
“A lot of prayer,” Mayfield said. “It’s out of our control. I mean, you can do whatever you need to to try and prep your house or your home, wherever you’re at. Other than that, there’s nothing you really can do. This thing is coming for Florida, and it’s just safety first and getting everybody out and hopefully everybody listens to the mandatory evacuation.
“So, compartmentalizing one step at a time is the preparation part when it comes to the storm. And then, you know, once we’re out of there, realizing this could be the sort of Sunday to give the people of Florida and especially in our area some hope, something to look forward to watching.”
The Bucs will play the Saints on Sunday.