Hurricane Milton: Bucs evacuating Tampa as storm approaches, heading to New Orleans ahead of Week 6 game

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are heading to their opponent earlier than usual this week, as Hurricane Milton approaches. With the hurricane potentially impacting the area, the Bucs are proceeding with caution and leaving Tampa on Tuesday morning to head to New Orleans.

The Bucs are scheduled to play the Saints on Sunday at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. 

“The team will relocate operations to the New Orleans area for the remainder of the week leading up to Sunday’s game at the Saints,” the Buccaneers said in a message to the media.

The team was able to secure hotel rooms in New Orleans for their longer than expected stay. Teams typically stay in their own facilities for the majority of the week, ahead of an away game, but these extenuating circumstances have changed the plan.

According to CBS News, Hurricane Milton became a Category 4 storm on Monday with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph. Forecasters predict that the storm will make landfall around the Tampa Bay area by Wednesday or early Thursday. 

The Buccaneers currently sit at 3-2 and are coming off a 36-30 overtime loss to the Atlanta Falcons. The loss took them out of first place in the NFC South and instead put the Falcons in first. The Saints are 2-2 heading and will face the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs on “Monday Night Football,” concluding the Week 5 action.