US Bank Stadium will host the Kansas City vs Tampa Bay game on Sunday, if necessary

U.S. Bank Stadium is the back-up option if the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers need to move their Sunday night game outside Florida due to damage from Hurricane Ian, a National Football League official said on Wednesday.

Jeff Miller, senior vice president of health and safety policy for the NFL, announced in a phone call. Miller said the 2020 Super Bowl replay is still going on at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, but it will be moved to Minneapolis if necessary.

Miller said the first priority is to make sure the league doesn’t do anything that “negatively impacts public safety efforts in the affected areas. … We are monitoring the situation closely, and in discussions with both clubs, stadium, state and local, state authorities and various weather bureaus are meticulous.” a minute.”

Asked how close a decision could be made on Sunday, Miller said there was no timetable.

“It’s literally a minute, hour by hour study and conversation with all affected parties, state and local authorities, disaster relief agencies and participating clubs – plus the Vikings,” he said.

Rumors about moving the game from Tampa Bay to Minneapolis Started online early on Tuesday Excitement was quickly generated by the teams and players involved.

The game will be a match between two of the NFL’s biggest stars and future Hall of Famers: quarterbacks Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes. In the 2020 championship game, the Buccaneers team led by Brady defeated the Mahomes and the Chiefs in Tampa Bay.

Staff and the building can be mobilized and equipped, said John Drum, general manager of ASM Global, which manages US Bank Stadium operations.

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The 67,000-seat US Bank Stadium will be available Sunday night because the Vikings will be away, playing the New Orleans Saints in London. The Vikings, the primary tenant of the US Bank Stadium, have postponed the suspension to the league.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said the New York-based league is in no rush to make a call.

“We always make contingency plans in case we need to make adjustments while we continue to monitor developments and stay in touch with both teams involved along with local officials there,” McCarthy said. We can make decisions later in the week including Friday.

Moving the game due to a hurricane is not unprecedented. A year ago, the New Orleans Saints’ inaugural game against the Green Bay Packers was moved to Jacksonville, Florida, due to Hurricane Ida.

The NFL is aware of the capabilities of US Bank Stadium operations and staff because the building hosted Super Bowl 52 in 2018. Brady played in that game as well, as the losing quarterback for the New England Patriots.

Not yet clear Whether the hurricane will hit Tampa Bay and the severity of the damage. Even if the storm doesn’t hit Tampa directly, damage nearby or elsewhere could strain public safety resources and necessitate a Sunday game move.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Florida residents urged to prepare for extended power outages.

Author Ben Gosling contributed to this report.

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