The Buccaneers evacuated from Florida days before Hurricane Milton hit the Tampa Bay area, and they certainly have more than just a football game on their minds as they look to take on the New Orleans Saints this weekend. be.
Tampa Bay is coming off a tough overtime loss to the Atlanta Falcons and will look to refocus against the Saints in Week 6 while in New Orleans.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs #78 after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter of a game against the Philadelphia Eagles on September 29, 2024 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. congratulated quarterback Baker Mayfield (No. 6). (Nathan Ray Seebeck Iman Images)
“We're not just playing for football right now. We're trying to play for something a little bit bigger,” Bucs wide receiver Mike Evans told reporters Wednesday. . Via ESPN.
Evans is no stranger to the confusion that hurricane forecasts bring. He grew up in Galveston, Texas, where he knows all too well the effects of major storms.
“I just want everyone to be safe at the end of the day,” he said.
“We obviously have a job to do, so we're going to do it. The game is still on. The hardest thing is making sure everyone's OK and then just praying and hoping for the best.”
The Buccaneers moved their operations to the New Orleans area and practiced at Tulane's Yulman Stadium. After practice, team members and officials returned to their hotel rooms by bus and shared rooms with their families and pets.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (number 13) runs with the ball during the first half of a game against the Philadelphia Eagles on September 29, 2024 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Kim Clement Neitzel-Iman Images)
“The most important thing right now is family. … If we can get our families out and keep them safe, it replaces everything else,” Bucs coach Todd Bowles said.
“We understand that what we do in football is just a small part of the game of life, and how hurricanes affect people,” he said. “Everybody's here and their families are here. That makes it a lot easier.”
The Glazer family, owners of the Buccaneers, chartered two planes for the traveling group of about 350 people and 31 pets.
Bowles said that while trying to maintain some kind of normalcy in his practice routine by having his family and pets stay in hotels, it also presented its own challenges.
“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.”
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles before a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Raymond James Stadium on September 29, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Kim Clement Neitzel-Iman Images)
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The Buccaneers' thoughts and prayers were with the entire state of Florida as Milton made landfall Wednesday night.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
