Bucs to Evacuate Tampa Ahead of Hurricane to Stay in New Orleans for Saints Game

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are moving up their travel schedule for their Week 6 matchup with the New Orleans Saints due to Hurricane Milton, according to multiple reports.

The team plans on leaving Tampa on Tuesday and will remain in New Orleans through the remainder of the week before Sunday's game.

The National Weather Service said Monday morning that Milton is now a Category 4 hurricane. It could make landfall as early as Wednesday, and the Tampa/St. Petersburg region could experience significant storm surges. Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties, which house the two cities, have issued mandatory evacuation orders for residents in certain areas.

The state of Florida is still recovering from the damage wrought by Hurricane Helene, which made a direct hit on Sept. 26. While Tampa wasn't in Helene's path, the city experienced major flooding due to the accompanying storms.

Former NFL tight end Kyle Rudolph, who suited up for the Buccaneers in 2022, said his home in Tampa was impacted by the hurricane:

The Bucs' home games before and after Helene went ahead as scheduled. They lost 26-7 to the Denver Broncos on Sept. 22 and then beat the Philadelphia Eagles 33-16 on Sept. 29.